Journey Into The Unknown
by D-grayhitman Reborn
Summary: Nero goes on her journey to find "what's really important". On her way, she will meet new friends, foes, and also new feelings... Follows the manga/anime. Includes the genres: comedy, action, adventure, fantasy, friendship and romance.
1. Journey x Begins!

Hey everyone! This is my second story and I hope you'll like it! :D It will mostly follow both, the manga and the anime. English is not my born language, so please have some mercy. xD Well, anyway, this will be an Kurapica x OC* story, but it'll take some time to develop. I'll reveal more of my OC's past after some time. Anyway, I don't wanna be annoying, so please enjoy. :D

(*If you wanna know what my OC, Nero Oerba, looks like, I have an account on deviant art, so just search for the link in my profile^^)

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><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Hunter x Hunter *sigh*. I only own my OC's.

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><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 1 - Stormy Night? x The Journey Begins!<br>**

"_**You must learn what's important to you."**_

The words of her grandfather still echoed in the 16 year old girls head, as she leaned against the ships rail, watching the sky, which was coloured in a warm red, because the sun was already setting.

"Damn, this is annoying. He's telling me that since I'm 6 years old. Why the hell gives he always impossible assignments?" Nero, who had metallic, dark blue hair, mumbled annoyed to herself, trying to shrug off her thoughts. Her grandfather had told her to

'train', which was how he called it, once again, like almost every year. He wanted her to learn 'what's really important' since she was 6 years old and he had adopted her.

"_**Oh, and while we're on it, please do me a favour and observe the rookies, again, or anyone that's interesting. I want to hear your opinion this year, too." **_

"_Every year… he tells me the same.. this is such a hassle… and the number of muppets increases every year, too_…" Nero thought, and eyed her surrounding with he corner of her piercing, grey eyes.

Suddenly, the captain yelled, with a pipe in his mouth:

"The ship is leaving! Raise the sails!"

"Finally…" she sighed, as the ship set sail. She eyed her surrounding anew, noticing that she was the only girl on the ship, and nobody looked very friendly. Then she noticed a blond boy, who was leaning on the ships rail, too, a little bit away from her.

"_Oh, there is another girl… No, that's a boy…?_" Nero thought and placed her elbow on her knee, resting her head in her hand, while looking at him for a few seconds.

Suddenly, she looked up, as someone yelled:

"Wait! Wait up! I was going to ride on that ship!"

"Me, too!"

"_And now I'm getting deaf_…" she thought with a bored expression, then eyed the two people, that were running next to the ship on the boat bridge, waving their arms.

The younger one had spiky black hair, wore a green jacked with matching green shorts and carried an angle rod. The other one looked like he was in his 30's and wore sunglasses and a suit.

"You're too late! This ship is not going to turn back! You will have to swim over here!" the Captain shouted.

"The sails are speared wide open! You won't make it by swimming!" a man said mockingly.

"Seems like becoming a Hunter ain't what it used to be, if a kid like that is trying to become a Hunter." another man said tauntingly.

"_And seems like finishing school ain't what it used to be, if a dumbass like you could finish it_…" Nero thought and rolled her eyes.

The boy suddenly stopped and said to his companion:

"Follow me. I have an idea." They ran to a cliff and the boy used his angle pole to swang himself and the man in the suit on the ship. They landed in the seal, sliding it down. The young boy, not older than 12, landed on his feet, while the man in the

suit landed flat on his face.

"How graceful…" Nero snorted amused and looked at the two, like everyone else.

"Are you okay, old man?" the boy asked the man.

"Don't call me old man! My name's Leorio." Leorio answered annoyed.

"Seem like I'll have some fun until we arrive in dole." the Captain grinned.

"_And it seems like I found something interesting. Maybe this years exam won't be so boring_…" the girl thought and smirked slightly to herself, as she leaned back on the ship's rail, again.

~~~Later~~~

It caught her attention, when the boy with the spiky, black hair announced that a storm would be come very soon. The Captain was impressed by the boy, too, and commanded the sailors to lower the sails.

The sailors did as they were told and Leorio gaped at the scenario. Not a second later, a bucket came flying and landed directly in Leorio's face, smashing in the process.

The smashed bucket almost hit the blond boy, but he avoided it with ease.

"I'm sorry!" Some sailors shouted down from the mast, but Leorio just shouted back, arrogantly, not being faced at all:

"Yeah. Trying to test me, huh?"

"_Looks like we've a lot of tough guys this year_…" the Captain thought.

~~~Two hours later~~~

Like the kid had said, the storm came and it was a huge one. The whole ship shook and went up and down. Under deck meanwhile, everyone was rolling from one side to the other, crying for their mommy's or shouting for help.

The only ones that weren't faced at all were the little boy, who tried to help the ones that were seasick, Leorio, who was fixing his necktie, the blond boy, who was sleeping in a hammock, and Nero, who was reading a book,

then started to curse under her breath, because the lights had died.

Now the Captain entered, checking the situation under deck, only to find most of them half dead.

"How pathetic… And they are trying to become Hunter's? That makes me laugh…" Then he looked at the four exceptions and thought: "_Looks like only these four…" _

"What are your names?" the Captain asked suddenly.

"You want to know my name?" Leorio asked, yelling.

"That's correct." the Captain answered, calmly.

"I'm Gon!" the boy with the spiky black hair introduced himself cheerfully.

"My name is Kurapica." the blond haired boy said, sitting up in the hammock. Now the girl finally gave up to try to read her book in the dark room, stood up, and walked over to the captain.

"Oerba. Nero Oerba." the girl said calmly and the Captain seemed to be a little surprised.

"I.. I'm Leorio." Leorio said, rather unwillingly, then he turend to Nero and said, wiggling his eyebrows:

"Hey, you're a hottie, so how about we-"

"No." Nero interrupted him coldly, with a blank face.

"You don't even know what I was gonna say."

"Still no."

"Gon, Kurapica, Nero, Leorio, why do you want to be a Hunter?" the Captain asked, interrupting the both if them.

"Hey, who do you think you are, asking something like that?" Leorio asked annoyed.

"Just answer the question." the Captain said, something intimidating hinting in his voice.

"Are you listening to me?" Leorio shouted at him.

"_I hope he can swim_.." Nero thought and raised an eyebrow, but then said, sighing:

"I don't have to _become_ a hunter in particular but.. I want to catch up to the Chairman."

The Captain eyed her for a second, noticing her black flower tattoo on her neck, then thought:

"_That girl… could she be…?" _

Nero noticed that the Captain had probably figured out who she was and grinned slightly at him, placing a finger on her mouth, telling him to keep quiet. He nodded briefly, then Gon said:

"My dad is a Hunter, so I'd like to know what my fathers work is like."

"Hey, don't answer him." Leorio scolded the boy.

"Why? I'm only telling him the reason…" Gon said innocently.

"I don't want to! I'm never gonna tell him!" Leorio shouted.

"I agree, Leorio." Kurapica said, jumping down from the hammock. Leorio turned his head to him and asked annoyed, raising his voice:

"Hey, how old are you? Put in some respect when you say my name!" But Kurapica ignored him, and said to the Captain:

"I prefer not to answer your unpleasant question, rather than lie to you. I think lying is more shameful than being greedy."

"Call me Leorio-san!" Leorio hissed angrily, but Kurapica continued talking, ignoring him completely.

"Speaking honestly in front of people I just met… The reasons that make me wish to become a Hunter are mine, and are personal. That is why it is impossible for me to answer you in this place."

"If you don't wanna answer, get off this ship." she Captain said, taking a pull on his pipe, then added, kind of angry: "Don't you get it? The Hunter Exam has already begun, when you got on this ship." Then he showed them his Hunter Licence Card, proving that he was a Hunter.

The three males seemed surprised, only Nero grinned slightly.

"As you know, there are tons of people who want to become a Hunter. Unfortunately, the inspectors don't have enough time to examine everyone. So, guys like us are hired to shift through the applicants. Then, except for you four, all the other applicants have been registered as failures for the grand jury. Even if hey can get to the place the exams are held, the door will stay closed to them." the Captain explained.

"I am the only survivor of the Kuruta tribe. Four years ago, all of my relatives were killed by thieves. The reason I want to become a Hunter is because I want to capture the Genei Ryodan." Kurapica answered now.

"_Genei Ryodan? Gramps told me about them._.." Nero thought and rubbed the tattoo in her neck slightly, unknowingly.

"Becoming a Black List Hunter? The Genei Ryodan belongs to Class A criminals, even the best Hunter will think twice before helping you. You are casing after a sure death." the Captain said, slightly surprised.

"I'm not afraid of death. What I'm afraid of, is that the anger will fade away someday." Kurapica said with a serious face.

"So in short, you want revenge, and you need to be a Hunter for that?" Leorio asked annoyed.

"That, Leorio, is the stupidest question I have ever been asked." Kurapica said calmly, but before he, or Leorio could say anything, Nero explained briefly:

"When you become a Hunter, you have access to certain places, information's and displacement's." They looked at the girl, that had been mostly quiet until then.

"Thank you, Miss. It was probably a detail his little neurons had missed." Kurapica said to Nero. She saluted briefly and said:

"No problem, but please don't call me Miss. Nero is fine."

Both of them ignored Leorio, who now was completely pissed off.

"What about you, Leorio?" the Captain now asked the man with the suit.

"Me? I don't want to give a made-up answer, so I'll be honest. MONEY! I want to be a Hunter to make a lot of money. If I have money, I can get anything. A large house, a good car and even woman." Leorio answered excitedly.

"Unfortunately, manners can't be bought, Leorio." Kurapica remarked calmly.

"That is the third time. Follow me to the deck. Let's spill a little 'noble' blood of the Kuruta clan, or something." Leorio said angrily.

Kurapica snapped, but tried his best to stay calm, then he said, with a very dark expression:

"Take back what you just said, Leorio!"

"Leorio-san. Come on." Leorio said now.

"I'm right behind you." Kurapica said and both walked outside, much to the Captains dismay.

"H-Hey you guys! I'm not finished!"

"Che, males…" Nero snorted annoyed, then Gon suddenly said:

"'Let them fight. 'If you want to know someone, start by finding out what makes him mad'. My aunt said this phrase a lot, From my point of view, both have a good reason to be angry, so let them fight."

"I think I would like your aunt. My gramps says that a lot, too." Nero said and hit his shoulder lightly, in a friendly way. He smiled at her and she added:

"Let's go and watch out that those two won't fall off the ship." Then both went outside, only to find Kurapica and Leorio fighting already.

"If you take back those words now, I'll forgive you, Leorio!" Kurapica said.

"You first, Kurapica! I don't intend to take back what I've said!" Leorio said.

Then both of them attacked the other, clashing in the air. Nero raised her eyebrows, eyeing the fight, until something else caught her attention. One of the sailors tried to fix the mast, but suddenly, the mast was hit by lightning and the sailor

named Gatso fell down, being about to fall in the ocean.

"Che!" Nero didn't hesitate for a moment and tried to catch him, same as Kurapica, Gon and Leorio.

Gon caught his feet, Nero Gon's, Kurapica Nero's and Leorio Kurapica's. Now all of them hang onto each other, trying to pull themselves up.

"Sorry for the trouble and thanks.." Gatso said, still in shock.

~~~A little later~~~

The sea was calm again, and the sailors tried to fix the ship.

Meanwhile Nero, Kurapica, Leorio and Gon were sitting next to each other, leaning on the ship's rail and said nothing, until Leorio said:

"Ho can you do something so reckless?"

"Yes it was foolish." Kurapica agreed.

"If we wouldn't have caught you, you would've dropped into the ocean with that guy!"

"But… you guys caught me!" Gon grinned.

All three looked surprised at him, then Nero joked deadpan:

"I just didn't want to see two nasty looking, drowned body's."

They looked at her with wide eyes, then started laughing and then Gon added:

"What happened to your duel?" Leorio thought for a second, then answered:

"Duel? Oh yeah, we were doing something like that."

"Forgive my rudeness, Leorio-san" Kurapica apologized.

"You can call me Leorio, Kurapica. I apologize, too." Leorio said, rubbing the back of his head.

Now the Captain laughed and said:

"You four pass!"

"Huh?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'll take you to Dole Island." the Captain answered.

"I'm flattered, but will this wrack take us all the way to Dole Island…?" Leorio asked, a little worried.

The Captain laughed at his face and said:

"Don't worry, trust this ship."

"Why do I doubt that…?" Nero grimaced, being _way_ to lazy to swim all the way.

~~~ at Dole Island~~~

They got of the ship, seeing a huge crowd.

"There sure are lots of people." Leorio said, staring at the crowd.

"Most of them are probably here because of the same reason as us." Kurapica pointed out.

"So, they're all candidates for the Hunter exam, from around the world."

"I don't care why they're here. I hate crowds…" Nero sighed, starting to feel sick.

"Well, anyway, let's see… Which bus can get us to Zaban City?" Leorio looked around. Then they heard Gon saying:

"Captain, thanks for everything. It was a fun trip."

"Well, said, Gon. Although you've arrived at Dole Island's harbour, there are still more obstacles ahead."

"Yes, I understand." Gon said and bowed slightly.

"Not another lecture. We've heard enough on board." Leorio complained, yet joked, walking over too them.

"Fine, but I'll tell you one last thing. It's a special service." the Captain said and shot Nero a short glance, then pointed at a tree, that could be seen from where they stood.

"Look. Head for that tall tree. That's one of the shortcuts to get to the exam centre. If you understand, then get outta here." Then the Captain walked in direction ship again.

"Alright. Take care!" Gon waved after him.

"You too." the Captain answered.

~~~A little later~~~

They stood in front of a map, looking for the right way.

"Something's wrong. The exam centre's location is Zaban City, is in the opposite direction of the tree." Leorio eyed the map sceptically.

"You are right…" Kurapica said.

"We'll probably just waste time. It's not a shortcut. We should head directly for Zaban City." Leorio pointed out.

"_That's a stupid idea…" _Nero thought.

"It doesn't matter, I'm going that way. I'm sure there's a good reason for this." Gon said and started walking.

"You know, Gon, you should learn to be more suspicious of what people tell you. I advise you to go to the bus." Leorio told him.

But Gon went in the other direction, anyway, and Nero said, walking after him:

"That is a good advice, but I advise you to listen to what other people tell you from time to time, too."

"Hey, wait!"

"He said 'special service'. That's why I'm going." Nero called over her shoulder, waving her hand briefly.

The other two eyed Nero on Gon for a second, then Kurapica started walking after them and said:

"More than the Captains words.. It's what this boy does that interests me. I think I'm going to stay with them for a while."

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><p>I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! :D The next one will probably be up tomorrow. ;)<p> 


	2. Mrs Mummy? Bad Actors!

Hey everyone! :D YAY my second chapter is up^^ I hope you'll enjoy it. I apologize for any mistakes or confusions. :D

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own Hunter x Hunter. I only own my OC.<strong>

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><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 2 Mrs. Mummy? x Bad Actors!<br>**

"I don't really like this place. There's nobody out here…" Leorio said, who had caught up to them shortly after he said that he would take the bus.

Now the four stood in a 'ghost town'.

"However, there are lots of people here…" Gon pointed out.

"Let's keep our guard up."

"How do you know all these things?" Leorio asked, looking around.

"Feeling their presence is easy." Nero sighed.

"Don't you hear the sound of breathing from everywhere?" Kurapica said.

"And the sound of cloth, scraping, too! They're trying to hide!" Gon said. Leorio looked at them as if they were nuts, then said:

"Unfortunately, I'm a normal guy."

SHHHH!

Suddenly, Gon started running a few steps and held in front of a side street, then said: "Grandma, I found you!"

Inside of the side street stood an old lady, then more people with white cloaks and masks appeared.

"What are these people?"

"'Mrs. Mummy and her Ghosts'. Hey, that could be a new TV show." Nero remarked deadpan.

"Very interesting…" the old lady suddenly said, stepping in front of them, then shouted:

"THE EXCITING QUIZ OF TWO ANSWERS!"

They just gaped at her, not really knowing what to think of the situation, then she continued:

"You're heading for the tree on the mountain, right? However, first you'll have to answer one question. You have only five seconds to consider your answer. If you fail, your mistake will disqualify you from the Hunter exam."

"Hmm"

"I see.."

"Sounds good to me."

"You'll answer with 1 or 2! Any other answer will not be valid!" the old lady said.

"Eh? Wait a sec! You mean only one question for four people? If they answers wrong, I too would be disqualified?" Leorio said resentfully, as he pointed at Kurapica, Nero and Gon.

"Not very likely. The idea of you disqualifying us is much more realistic. This makes me sick." Kurapica pointed out annoyed.

"It makes me sicker..." Nero face palmed irritated.

"Yet, if one of us knows the answer, the other three will pass, too." I'm bad with quizzes."

"That's true but…" Leorio wanted to complain more, but someone else appeared.

"Well, I'll answer before you. Sorry boy, I heard your conversation with the Captain at the port." the man said.

"…"

"What do you decide?" the old lady asked Nero and the others.

"We accept." Leorio answered.

"_So that we'll see the kinds of questions she asks…"_

Suddenly, the other man started grinning, as if he was plotting something, then Nero said, with a bored face:

"Planning to set traps for us? That's pretty low, and not worth my time, dumbass." He shot his head around, glaring at her, but she ignored him completely, then the old lady already asked:

"Your mother and your lover are captives of a demon. You can only save one. 1: Your mother, 2: Your lover?"

"_No way! Seriously? But an answer for this question doesn't exist! We can only guess what the old lady wants to hear_!" Kurapica thought.

"1." the man answered and the old lady asked:

"Why?"

"A mother is unique, but not a girlfriend."

The old lady and her masked friends started whispering, discussing his answer with each other, then she said to the man:

"Pass this way."

Nero grinned. "_What a fool."_

"Are you mocking us? What's with that weird quiz! This game is messed up! Who can say what the right answer is, with that kind of question! I'm leaving! I'll take another path!" Leorio threw a fit and started shouting.

"It's too late. If you abandon this quiz, you'll be disqualified." the old lady said, pissing Leorio more off.

Suddenly, Nero, Kurapica and Gon heard something.

"Leorio!" Kurapica wanted to hold him back

"You shouldn't leave now. The answer is obvious-" Nero started, but the old lady interfered.

"Wait! I don't want to hear anything else!"

"_Seems like that cat-eyed boy and the pretty girl understood…" _she thought.

"From now on, any useless words will be punished with disqualification! Well, answer. 1, if you accept this quiz, 2, if you refuse it."

"1!" Kurapica said, before someone else could say anything.

"_This is a very simple trick! Gon, you should have heard it, too! In that case, you know the trap in this quiz!"_

"Your son and your daughter have been kidnapped, and you can save only one. Which do you choose? 1: the daughter, or 2: the son?" the old lady asked now.

Leorio snapped and took a wooden lath, wanting to hit the old lady.

"Take this!"

"Is this your answer?" the old lady grinned kind of evil.

"Leorio!"

"Stop already. We already won the quiz." Nero said and stretched herself, being completely relaxed.

"Huh?"

"She's right. You'll mess everything up with your staff! You gave the right answer!" Kurapica said.

"There is no _real_ answer." Nero said calmly.

"That's right. This quiz has no right answer. The only rule was that we have to answer 1 or 2. So we can't answer. So, the solution is silence." Kurapica explained.

"But… But just a little while ago, the other guy…!" Leorio wanted to object.

"Nobody told him he answered correctly." Nero remarked.

"Yes, I heard him shout a while ago. Unfortunately, he must have been devoured by some kind of monster… In fact, the road he took isn't the good road." Kurapica explained Now the old lady opened a path for them and said:

"Exactly. The right way is there. There's only one road. After two hours, you'll reach the top." Leorio was speechless, but then said, as he threw away the wooden lath:

"Grandma, I owe you an apology."

"Why? It's because of guys like you that I accepted this job. Hang on and become a good Hunter." She said, smiling, then added, as they started walking:

"A married couple lives in the house under the tree. They are the Navigators. If they think you're qualified, they should take you to the exam centre."

They started walking into the tunnel, and then the entrance was closed, again.

After a few steps, Gon suddenly sighed then said:

"I still can't think of an answer."

Leorio laughed and Kurapica tried to hold in a laugher, only Nero looked at him, curious.

"You are still thinking about it? You don't have to think about it anymore." Leorio said.

"Why?" Gon asked.

"The quiz is over. We passed." Leorio answered, still amused.

"I know that." Gon told him, then Leorio asked:

"Then why are you still thinking?"

"Well, what would you do, if we run into a situation where we can only save one important person when two are held captive?" Gon asked them

Kurapica's and Leorio's eyes widened. They understood now what he meant. Nero snorted amused and they looked at her.

"_This year's exam won't be boring. I'm glad I followed them_." she thought.

"Why are you laughing, Nero-san?" Gon asked, leaning his head to the side. Nero calmed down and patted his head, then said:

"You got the real purpose of this quiz. If you become a Hunter, you must be prepared for all sorts of cruel situations, because reality might become merciless sooner than you expect." Then she started walking again, and the others followed her.

But Nero turned around once again and said, slightly grinning, before starting to walk again:

"Oh and drop the honorific already."

"Why?"

"Because it's bothersome to hear one more word."

~~~Two hours later~~~

"When are we going to reach the exit! The old lady said something about two hours! Two hours are already over! I'm hungry! I need to go to the bathroom!" Leorio complained and the other three shook their heads in disbelief.

"We're going to leave you behind!" Gon yelled over his shoulder.

"Let's rest for a while!" Leorio complained, gasping for air.

"But the exit is right over there!" Gon said. Not a second later, Leorio ran already past them. When they got out of the tunnel, they stood in front of a lake.

"There is a boat over there!" Gon said, pointing at the tattered boat.

They climbed in the little boat and Kurapica held his hand out, wanting to help Nero climbing in. She looked a little surprised for a second, but then took his hand and got in the boat.

"Thank you." she said.

"You are welcome." he answered. Now Gon and Kurapica started rowing, and Nero asked:

"Gon, do you want me to row?"

"No, but thank you!" he smiled.

"Geez, this thing is lacking!" Leorio pointed out annoyed.

"That's no big deal. Plug the hole until we reach the other side." Kurapica told him. Suddenly, they saw a sign in the water, which told them:

"Beware of Beasts."

After a few minutes, Gon asked: "How can we get approved by the Navigator? I don't know how."

"That-"

"Maybe-"

Both, Nero and Kurapica wanted to say something, but Leorio already said, mockingly:

"It has to do with appearance! If so, then unfortunately, Gon, you won't be approved. Kurapica will probably be disqualified too, because of his height. That means I'm the only one who will be approved by the Navigator!

Oh and Nero, too, because she is a girl and a beauty on top of that!"

They eyed him sceptically, then looked at each other.

"Is that true?" Gon asked.

"No. That would never happen." Kurapica and Nero answered annoyed in union.

"It might not be based solely on strength. Another factor will probably be needed, like knowledge or intelligence." Kurapica said, thoughtfully. Nero looked at him and though, eyeing her surroundings again:

_"Interesting. He's so smart. He would be a good Hunter."_

"Well, in my case, I have guts! I'll be fine with any monster that appears!" Leorio boasted. Then suddenly, a really _big _snake appeared behind Leorio and Nero and Kurapica and Gon gaped at the snake, with really sharp teeth.

Then, without looking behind herself, Nero asked, with a monotone voice:

"Really? Then you can prove that now."

"Huh?"

"Leorio, behind you…" Kurapica said.

"Yep, seems like the Loch Ness Monster appeared..." Nero joked grinned amused.

"That…" Gon pointed at the snake and Leorio turned around.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"A monster!" Leorio started rowing now, in the speed of light, until Kurapica called out to him. He looked up and saw the three others were standing, being already- together with the boat- on the shore.

~~~A little later~~~

Now they walked through a very dark forest and Leorio seemed to be not very comfortable, eyeing the forest suspiciously.

"There is another sign." Gon suddenly said.

"You're right. It's incredible that you can see in this darkness." Kurapica said, a little stunned.

"I lived on Whale Island and it was always pitch black at night. But the atmosphere of this forest is really different." Gon said, and Nero remarked:

"Yeah, a horror movie atmosphere…"

After some more walking they finally reached the tree and the house. They knocked, but nobody answered.

"It's odd that nobody is around at this hour." Nero said and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, and there aren't any other candidates here." Leorio agreed, then opened the door. When he did, their eyes widened. Inside of the house stood a Kiriko, a rather tall monster, holding a screaming woman and on the ground was an injured man.

Nero looked in the beasts eyes, then eyed the situation. She started to grin slightly and mumbled: "Interesting…."

They wanted to help the woman, but the Kiriko jumped past them, destroying the door and blowing them off their feets. Nero flipped in the air and landed on her feet. Gon was the first to run after the beast that carried the woman, followed from Kurapica, who told Leorio to take care of the injured man.

"Leave it to me!" Leorio shouted after him, then wanted to turn to Nero, who stood beside him a second ago, but she wasn't there anymore.

"Huh? When did she leave?"

…

"Where did he go?" Kurapica asked, looking around.

"He's close." Nero said and both, Kurapica and Gon were surprised, not noticing her at all.

"Since when are you behind us?" the blond male asked her.

"Huh? Since the beginning?" she simply answered, and he looked at her for a few seconds.

_"I didn't even notice her..."_

Suddenly, Gon shot his head around and started running, again.

"Found him!" he shouted.

"What? He located the faint shadow of a beast in this dark forest?" Kurapica was stunned, and Nero snorted briefly, which sounded like a laugh.

"_Impressive…" _

Then they started running after him, jumping from tree to tree.

"Give her back!" Gon shouted at the beast.

"Then take her away by force." The beast answered.

"It spoke!" Gon said.

"It's called a beast because it can speak the human language. He's a Kiriko, a beast that can change forms." Kurapica explained.

"Hey, stupid Kiriko!" Gon shouted at hit the beast with his angle rod. The Kiriko dropped the woman, but Kurapica caught her. Then the beast ran off and Gon followed him. Then Nero jumped forward, running after Gon, after eyeing the woman for a second.

She tracked them down easily and found them on a large meadow, while she stood on a tree.

"I'm going to pay you back for what you did!" the beast said and attacked Gon, but said boy didn't move an inch.

"_What a bad actor.." _Nero thought and didn't do anything, knowing who the beast was in reality.

"Why didn't you dodge it?" the Kiriko asked Gon, stopping his own attack a few inches before he could hit Gon.

"Because I didn't do anything to be paid back for. You are not the one I was chasing." Gon answered.

"How did you know I was a different guy?"

"Because your face is different. Your voice is a little higher, too. You must have switched when you were in the waterfall." Gon explained. The Kiriko started laughing and placed his claw on Gon's head.

"Hey, Dear! Come out! You'll see something you don't see so often!" Suddenly the other Kiriko appeared. Now Nero jumped down the tree and the Kiriko's seemed to be surprised when she suddenly appeared behind them.

She grinned and then walked over to Gon, as the other two arrived.

"Can you tell the difference between the two?" Leorio asked Kurapica, stunned.

"No, not at all…" Kurapica answered, being impressed, too.

"Also, the one that Kurapica and I hit was the Husband." Gon told them.

"First he can predict a storm, now he can tell apart beasts… It's a special skill." Kurapica pointed out.

"You sure are amazing, Gon." Nero smiled slightly, then added, turning to the Kiriko's:

"You know, you guys are bad actors."

The Kiriko's laughed, then said:

"You figured us out from the beginning, huh? Well, then we will reveal now, who we are. As you guys have suspected, we are the Navigators. My son and my daughter were acting as a married couple at the house."

"As Kurapica-dono said, this tattoo is a vow to be wedded to God and no one else. It's impossible to know, if you have no knowledge of ancient history. Having the knowledge and not missing the hint… You observation skills, that determination that we weren't married, is worthy of admiration." the daughter said, and pointed at her tattoos.

"As for Leorio-dono, although you didn't realize the injuries were fake, your emergency treatments were excellent. Also, your excellent observation discovered my true form from this tiny needle wound." the son said and showed them the needle wound.

"Nero-dono, you noticed very fast that we were the Navigators, and showed us your skills in tracking us down. We didn't even notice your presence. That is worth being respected." the wife said.

"If you know how to track someone down, then it's easy." Nero shrugged, then the Kiriko's turned to Gon and said:

"And Gon-dono, you kinds shows up once in ten years, the kind who can distinguish us apart."

"If I knew that, I would've hit you more lightly. I'm sorry." Gon said, rubbing the back of his head.

"You four pass. We shall now guide you to the Hunter exam centre."

The four Kiriko's started flying, carrying Nero, Kurapica, Gon and Leorio.

"Wah! I'm afraid heights! Don't drop me!" Leorio shouted panicked.

"Wasn't courage one of your traits?" Kurapica remarked, then Nero teased, sticking her tongue out:

"Yeah, the courage that his mouth is bigger than his skill."

* * *

><p>YOSH! I hope you liked this chapter! :D I love hunter x Hunter, and for everyone who doesn't know it yet:<p>

I've read (wikipedia) that a **new _Hunter × Hunter_ anime adaptation** was announced in July 2011. Instead of continuing the story from the OVA series, it will restart the story from the beginning of the manga. (Nippon Television, **starting October 2, 2011**)

THAT'S SO AWESOME XD Alright, anyway, please give my review button a hug. :D See ya next time^^


	3. First Exam? x We Are Friends!

Hey everyone! Here is the third chapter! :D I hope you'll enjoy it and I apologize for any confusions or mistakes. My story is based (mostly) on anime and manga. Please enjoy! :D

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH *sigh* I only own my OC's.**

* * *

><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 3 First Exam? x We Are Friends!<br>**

~~~On the next morning~~~

They flew until the next morning and now stood in Zaban City, in front of a nice looking, very tall building.

"It's gorgeous from the outside!" Leorio said, fascinated by the building.

"It's amazing!" Gon said excited.

"It's the place were fearless Hunter candidates gather this year!" Kurapica said, excited as well.

"It's the wrong building." Nero simply said, jerking her thumb in the direction of a little restaurant.

"Yes, the entrance is the next door." the disguised Kiriko said, pointing at the little restaurant, too.

They entered the little restaurant and Leorio started complaining:

"Hey, Navigator, this can't be the right place!"

"Mister, Steak combo." the Kiriko said to the cook, ignoring Leorio. The cook grinned, then asked:

"How do you want it cooked?"

"Carefully cooked, under a weak flame."

"Okay, go to the back." the cook said. Kurapica, Gon and Leorio looked puzzled at them, Nero just looked bored, then the waitress leaded them the way.

They walked into a room with no windows and the Kiriko said:

"This is the Hunter exam. Something unexpected will happen to the applicants. It's said that there are a few million applicants. One out of ten thousand. It's the possibility of getting the main exam. You guys are pretty good for rookies.

"If it's you, I'll guide you again next year."

They looked at him, then he threw some badges, with the numbers: 403, 404, 405, 406. "Good luck, rookies~!"

Gon shook hands with him and thanked him, much to the Kiriko's surprise, then the floor suddenly started moving and went down. Meanwhile, Nero still eyed her badge.

"_406? What the hell…? Why am I so late?_" she thought and a gloomy aura surrounded her.

"But wasn't the way he said it rude? Like we're not going to pass this year!" Leorio said pissed, remembering the words of the Kiriko.

"One person in three years." Kurapica suddenly said.

"Huh?"

"Seems to be the probability that a rookie will pass. Out of those rookies, because of the test's harshness, there seem to be a lot who retire."

"But why does everyone want to go through the trouble to become a Hunter?" Gon asked and the other three gaped at him in disbelief. Then Leorio and Kurapica stood right in front of him and Leorio started:

"You really knew nothing and you came to take the exam?"

"Yes… I don't know." Gon answered, but hesitated.

"Listen being a Hunter is the most…" Kurapica said.

"Profitable job." Leorio said, at the same time as Kurapica said:

"Honourable job."

Then they faced each other and started quarrelling.

"Again with your goody-goody stuff?"

"Money grubbing, greedy bastard!"

"Gon! Listen! There's a licence card that only an official Hunter can get! If you get this, you can go to any country freely and you can also use most facilities for free! A Treasure Hunter, or one who gets millionaire patrons, a Contract Hunter, if you can

become one of those, the cash will roll in!" Leorio shouted.

"He's wrong, Gon! A Hunter's job is to keep the order between nature and people! Like Ruin Hunters, or Phantom Beast Hunters! Protecting rare culture legacies and animals and capturing wanted criminals are a Hunter's job, too! A healthy mind, body

and a strong will are required." Kurapica objected, then both shouted at Nero:

"Right, Nero?" Said girl, who was looking at them as if they were nuts, sighed and said:

"You are both right. Everybody has to choose for themselves what kind of Hunter they want to become."

Both seemed to calm down for a second, but then asked Gon in union:

"Which kind of Hunter are you going to become?" Gon, who was now speechless and didn't know what to say, thought hard about an answer, then said:

"Well… I really don't know…."

Suddenly, the 'elevator' stopped, and the door opened. They walked inside and it looked like some kind of underground passage. Also, the air was very tense, completely different form before.

"_They are clearly different form the other candidates. Everyone is an expert!" _Kurapica thought.

"There are lots of people." Gon said amazed and looked around.

"That's because you're the 406th person. Yo, I'm Tompa." a man suddenly said, introducing himself.

"Don't hurt my pride any more than it already is_, Sir_…" Nero hissed and shot him a death glare, making him twitch.

"Err, nice to meet you! This year, I'm number 16!" he said, trying to avoid Nero's glare and shook Gon's hand.

"I'm Gon! These three are… Kurapica… Leorio… and Nero."

He shook Kurapica's hand, who was suspicious of him, Leorio rejected to shake his hand, waving his hands in the air, and Nero didn't react at all, only asked, raising an eyebrow:

"Do you have a poisoned needle in that hand of yours?"

"O-Of course not." He said and laughed nervously, then said: "

Well, anyway, you guys must be new."

"You know?" Gon asked.

"Yes, because I've taken the exam thirty-five times. Well, I'm just a veteran of the exam." Tompa answered.

"More like an incompetent dumbass_."_ Nero snorted annoyed, saying it to Kurapica and Leorio, who were stunned, too. They looked at him and Leorio spluttered:

"T-Thirty- five times…?"

Suddenly someone asked:

"Are you the rumoured Tompa-san?" Then turned around, only to find a man with a laptop.

"You are?" Tompa asked.

"I don't think you'd know. I'm a rookie. Number 187. I'm Nicole." the man answered.

"_Just great. First a slacker, now spiv. What comes next? A parade with flying pigs_?" Nero thought sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

"Hello. I'm Gon!" Gon introduced himself cheerfully.

Nicole began to look at his laptop, searching for information's about Tompa, then said:

"There it is. Thirty-five times is the second most in history."

"Well, I'm an all time failure." Tompa laughed nervously.

"I guess that .. fit's a person like you. Excuse me." Nicole said amused, then left.

"What an irritating brat." Leorio gaped after him.

"Guess he got me. But what he said is true." Tompa said and rubbed the back of his head. Kurapica, Gon and Leorio looked at him, somehow pitying him, only Nero raised an eyebrow, then said deadpan, twisting a knife in the wound:

"Yes, it was."

He twitched, and Kurapica and Leorio had to hold in a laugher, then Nero thought:

"_Why do I think I heard his name before? Tompa..? Hmm…_." but shrugged it off as Tompa said:

"A lot of unique people have gathered this year. Look over there." he jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the other candidates.

Nero eyed the candidates, then saw a rather talkative ninja, then her eyes fell on a silver haired boy, who was about Gon's age. Suddenly, they heard a scream. When they looked for the source of it, they saw that a blue haired man had cut off another participants arms.

"Be careful. Next time you bump into someone, apologize." the blue haired man said and played with a card that he held.

"That dangerous guy came again! Number 44. The magician Hisoka. He could've passed last year's exam with ease, but he got disqualified, because he almost killed an examiner. Don't go near Hisoka." Tompa said.

"A guy like that can take the exam, again?" Leorio asked in disbelief.

"Yes. The examiner for the exam changes every year. If an examiner says that you pass, even a demon could can pass." Tompa answered. Nero only grimaced, as if she remembered something, then thought:

"_I remember him. He is damn strong, but unfortunately, a complete psycho_… _and looks like a joker... or a clown.. I don't like clowns_…"

Suddenly, a loud cat-call echoed through the underground passage, and the examiner appeared.

"_Ah, Satotsu is the first examiner this year_…" Nero thought.

"Reception time is over. Now, we'll begin the Hunter exam." Satotsu said.

"I can't believe it. We really are the last ones. Wah, my pride shattered just now…" Nero face palmed.

"All that matters is that we're here now." Kurapica said encouraging. She looked at him, then nodded, smiling slightly, saying:

"I guess you're right."

"It's finally there! The first exam!" Gon said excitedly. The others tensed up and Leorio said:

"I'm getting nervous."

"I'm getting sleepy." Nero yawned. They gaped at her in disbelief, then Leorio said:

"You're way to relaxed…"

"This way please." Satotsu now said and started walking, followed by the candidates, then he explained:

"The Hunter exam is very harsh. If you're unlucky, or lacking ability, you'll get injured or die. Only those who don't mind, please follow me."

Nobody hesitated and followed him.

"_So there are 405 people in the first exam._" Satotsu thought.

~~~A few minutes later~~~

"It's pretty obvious that nobody's leaving." Leorio pointed out, looking around, then added:

"I was hoping someone did."

Then they noticed it. The pace was slowly picking up, until they had to run to keep up with Satotsu. Now Satotsu introduced himself and told them that he would lead them to the second exam centre.

~~~30 minutes later~~~

"How long have we been running?" Gon asked.

"About 30 minutes." Nero answered.

"This is a weird test." Gon said.

"No, it's a good for testing the stamina. And-" Kurapica explained, but was interrupted by Tompa.

"You realized that, too? How much longer do we have to run? We have to keep running without knowing how long. That's the big psychological downside. Our mental strength is testes along with our stamina."

"I'm looking forward to it!" Leorio said hyped up.

"Let's see if your still saying that after hours of running. Thinking about the geographic location of Zaban City, I can pretty much predict how long we'll have to run." Nero said, sighing annoyed.

"What do you mean?"

"We started in Zaban City. This Underground passage is pretty old and leads to something called 'Crooks Nest'. Well, that's at least the nickname of it. If Satotsu wants to get us there, I'd say we'll be running for at least 5 hours." Nero explained.

They looked at her, kinda surprised. She looked puzzled, too, not knowing why they were surprised.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked.

"No, but it is the first time that you talked this much. And it was very informative, too." Kurapica told her.

"Nero is so smart!" Gon said.

"T-Thanks…" she said, a little bit surprised and embarrassed. She wasn't really used to talk with people, less to talk with people her age. As well, she never really had friends, always concentrating on her training or her studies, but it made her somehow

happy, being together with these three, though she had yet to understand what it meant.

"_Seems like my prediction was right… This years exam… won't be boring.…" _she thought, being at ease somehow.

Then Gon broke the short silence, asking Tompa:

"Hey Tompa, if you've participated thirty-five times, you must know a lot people here. Please tell me!"

"Ok, I'll introduce some of them." Tompa said, then started pointing at a few candidates.

"First, Number 103. Snake charmer, Barbon. He is vengeful. Next is Number 76. Fighter, Cherry. In hand-to-hand combat, no one compares to him. Number 255. Wrestler, Todo. His power is great. Number 197 through 199. The Amorio brothers. With their

combination play, they've done well on the exams. Number 238. Hunter, Gereta. He kills all sorts of animals with his blow-gun. That's it for about the regulars, but…"

Then he started to look around, then added:

"But someone's missing. That guy participated in the last few years, but he usually resigned in the last exam, though nobody knows why. Nobody has seen his face, because he always wore a black coat with a hoodie. I just saw his eyes one time, and they

were so intense, that I couldn't move for a few seconds. His name is unknown as well, but his nickname was 'Genius', or 'Number 1', because when he participated, he always had the number 1. He started an argue with Hisoka last time. Honestly, just

watching it was terrifying. But the examiner interrupted them and almost got killed."

"_Cloaked person..? Nickname..? Wait, that's me…_" Nero thought, and grimaced.

"Are you alright? You became pale all of a sudden." Kurapica asked Nero and she answered:

"Yes, I just remembered something, that's all."

"Everyone here is so amazing…" Gon said meanwhile, being stunned.

"No problem. It's about if you pass or not." Leorio told him, still hyped up. Not a second later, the silver haired kid from before passed them, skating.

"Wow, that's so cool!" Gon shouted excited, as he saw the skateboard.

"Hey, kid, that's cheating!" Leorio yelled. The kid glared at him and asked:

"How am I cheating?"

"This is a test of stamina." Leorio answered the other kid.

"Wrong." Nero said.

"The examiner only said 'follow me'." Go objected.

"Nero, Gon, who's side are you on?" Leorio asked annoyed.

"On the side of justice and truth, not money." Nero simply answered, with a slight grin.

"Why you…!"

"Don't shout! You'll waste your energy! It is loud in the first place. As a rule, the test permits you to bring anything you want." Kurapica interposed.

"_This guy's irritating, too!_" Leorio thought irritated, gritting his teeth.

"You guys are new, so there must be a lot of things you don't know. If you'd like, we can-" Tompa wanted to say something, but both, Nero and the other kid silenced him with a death glare.

"_I've had enough of this guy. He's definitely up to something. Whah! I should have payed more intention to the losers the last years." _Nero mentally slapped herself. Now the silver haired boy skated next to Gon and said boy introduced himself. Then the boy started running, too and asked Leorio:

"Hey, old man, how old are you?"

"Wha-! I'm 19!" Leorio shouted irritated.

"NO WAY!" Gon and the other boy shouted in union, gaping at him with open mouths.

"You too, Gon? That's harsh… I'm through with you guys!"

Nero's and Kurapica's faces fell, as they said in union:

"I'm going to stay away…"

~~~A little later~~~

"A fork?" Kurapica suddenly said, as they saw that the way parted.

"What happens if we go right? Maybe it's a shortcut and an easy win." Leorio said, sweating and panting. Then Gon suddenly smelled something, telling them that it smelled somehow sweet, and that it came from the other way.

~~~3 hours later~~~

They passed another fork, wondering how much longer they would have to run.

"Huh? It's that sweet smell again. From the tunnel to the right." Gon stated. Nero eyed the fork suspiciously until they had passed it.

"I know that smell from somewhere…" she mumbled. Then she turned her head around, seeing that Leorio struggled keeping up with them.

"Are you alright?" Gon yelled over his shoulder, but then Leorio sank on his knees, panting.

The others stopped and ran over to him.

"Are you guys stupid? He's finished." the silver haired kid said to them, who had stopped, too.

"That's not true! Also, I can't just leave him here. He's my friend!" Gon said. The other kid's eyes widened.

"Friend?"

"Yeah." Gon answered.

"_Friends, huh_…?" Nero thought, eyeing the ground from the corner of her eyes. Then she snapped out of her thoughts, as Leorio suddenly yelled, getting on his feet, again:

"Damn it! Whatever it takes, I'm going to become a Hunter!"

"Take it easy, rest a bit!" Tompa said. But Leorio didn't listen and tried to run, but still gasped for air.

"Shut up! Or I'll leave you guys behind! Damn, my legs won't move!"

"It's not only for the money, right?" Kurapica asked.

"Shut up! It's for money! Money!" Leorio shouted.

"It's not the time to discuss this." Nero said, thinking of a solution.

"Tompa, what should we do?" Gon asked Tompa. He thought for a few seconds, then said:

"That must be it! That smell! The fork. The sweet smell that came out of that passage. I thought that smell was familiar. It must be the smell of the Healing Cedar sap."

"Healing Cedar?" Gon asked.

"A sap used in the forest for exhausted Hunters. If you smell that scent for a while, you can temporarily regain your energy." Tompa explained. Nero raised an eyebrow.

"But-"

"Do you now why I failed thirty-five times? Because I'm a good natured guy." Tompa said, helping Leorio up.

Gon's and Kurapica's eyes widened.

"Tompa, but…"

"Once Leorio recovers we'll catch up to you."

"Sorry for the trouble, Tompa." Leorio apologized, then said:

"Gon, Kurapica, Nero! Don't mind me, please go ahead!"

"Leorio, but we can't just…" Gon wanted to object, but Tompa calmed them down, saying:

"Don't worry. I'm with him. I wont mess up because of some small trap."

"_Why do I have the feeling that you're the biggest trap of all?_" Nero thought raging an eyebrow, but then shrugged off her thoughts."_No, I'm not supposed to be here to help someone. I need to concentrate on what gramps told me to do!"_

"We understand! Take care!" Gon said, catching Leorio's bag with his angle rod. Then Leorio and Tompa left.

They looked after them for a while, then the silver haired kid asked: "Aren't you coming?"

"Oh, sorry we made you stay, too. Please go ahead." Gon said.

"You're not coming?"

"No, not until Leorio comes back. Kurapica, I'm still worried. I'll go and check up on them."

"I'm coming with you. We can make up for the lost time later." Kurapica told him.

"Well follow soon. Then, I if you want, maybe you can tell me your name! Then, until later! See you later, too, Nero!"

Gon said and both of them left the other boy and Nero.

They looked after them, but Nero began to feel awful.

"_I did the right thing, right gramps? But… then, why do I want to go after them… ? Gosh, this is confusing!"_

She began to ruffle her hair in frustration, but then the boy asked:

"What about you?" Nero looked at him, then in the direction Kurapica and the others headed off. She didn't know what to say, but then suddenly, she remembered something.

"Tompa… He's the 'rookie crusher'! How dumb am I!" she shouted and wanted to hit herself. Then she felt that she became furious. The thought that he could have hurt them, made her so angry, that she started running after them.

"I'm going! I'll kick that bastards ass if he hurts them!"

The boy looked after her, then suddenly appeared next to her, skating.

"I'll go, too."

"Really? You don't have to." Nero said, raising her eyebrows.

"You guys are somehow interesting. This is just a game for me." he told her.

"Well, kicking Tompa's ass will definitely be a fun game." she snorted annoyed. He smirked, then Nero said:

"That sweet smell…. There is no such thing as a Healing Cedar whatever. I think I remember reading about it. It's what assassins used. The-"

"Delusion Cedar sap." the boy said. Nero turned her and looked at him.

"Yeah, I forgot the name, but that's right." Then she eyed him for a second.

"_He's good."_

"Oh, and call me Nero." she said. He looked at her, smirked and then said:

"Killua."

~~~A few minutes later~~~

They suddenly heard someone coming their way, and saw that it was Tompa. He saw them and stopped, sweating nervously.

"You seem nervous about something." Killua said to Tompa.

"Me? No, I'm not." Tompa tried to object.

"Yes, you are." Nero said calmly.

"You led them into a trap." Killua said, calmly as well.

"How can you say that!" Tompa faked his shocked voice.

"There's something I think you should know. Those who betray others, will seal their own fate, because eventually they'll also be killed by an act of betrayal." Killua said, skating closer to him. Tompa stepped back, having the wall in his back now.

"I'm not lying. If you want, I can prove it to you." Killua said, and though he was smirking, something intimidating was in his voice. Nero just grinned.

"How about right now?" Nero now asked, stepping closer as well. She placed her hands in her trouser pockets and stepped even closer. Anger glittered in her eyes and he could tell that she was furious. Then she said, with a deathly calm :

"Let me say just this. If they have just one scratch, then I'll kill you. And remember, I'll make your death _slow_... and very _painful_."

She sounded so intimidating, that he laughed nervously, then tried to act as if he was not faced at all and said:

"What? You are threatening me?" Then he looked at her grey, silver shining eyes, and it felt like her glare would pierce through him, then noticed something.

"_Her eyes… is she… that cloaked person?"_

She grinned evilly and kicked the wall right next to his head, creating a crater in the wall and only missed his head by a few inches. Killua whistled amused as he saw the huge crater in the wall, and a very scared Tompa.

Tompa's eyes widened, and then she hissed, having a very dark expression:

"I'm not threatening you, it's is a _promise_."

Then Nero started walking, leaving a scared Tompa. Killua skated after her.

"Dumb kids.." he sighed and ran the other way.

"I thought that you would crush his skull." Killua said, still amused by her actions.

"I wanted to, but bastards like him deserve a nice torture before they die."

"Right." he responded. They smirked at each other and picked up the pace.

~~~A few minutes later~~~

They saw Gon and Kurapica, and Kurapica seemed to be affected by the plant already. Killua hit him with his skateboard and he snapped out of the illusion he was seeing.

He laid on the ground and Nero squatted next to him.

He looked at her, then she helped him to stand up.

"Kurapica! You're finally back to normal!" Gon shouted relieved. Nero meanwhile placed her hand on Kurapica's face, studying his eyes, looking if he was injured. He blushed slightly and she sighed relieved, letting go of him.

"You'll be fine, but we'll have to find Dr. Dolittle."

Then she added, facing Kurapica and Gon:

"There is no Healing Cedar sap." Their eyes widened and Killua explained:

"This is what assassins used long ago…. Delusion Cedar sap. It shoes illusions of your most fragile, private past and destroys your mind."

"You know a lot about it." Gon said stunned.

"Then Tompa…" Kurapica started.

"He tricked you. I just remembered it, but that guy's know as 'rookie crusher'." Nero said. Kurapica clenched his fists, then realized what Nero just had said.

"_If she knows something like that, then she is not a rookie…"_

But then Gon said, interrupting his thoughts: "We have to go!"

"There is a way, to help that old man and still catch up with the leading. Games aren't fun if they're to simple." Killua smirked.

"Will you tell us your name?" Gon asked.

"Killua." Killua answered.

"Killua! So Killua, what should we do?" Gon asked. Killua searched for something in his trouser pocked, then took something out and said:

"This is a bomb. A pretty powerful one."

Nero eyed the bomb and recognized the structure of it.

"I know these kind of bombs. I used to build them when I was about ten."

"Why?"

"I found it funny to blow up my gramps office." she answered deadpan.

"…" They just gaped at her in disbelief, eyeing her as if she was nuts.

"Well anyway, we'll blow away this nasty sap-covered wall." Killua said now.

Now Killua fired the bombs and they blew away the wall, then jumped over to Leorio, who seemed to snap out of the hallucination as well.

Kurapica looked back and said:

"As you said, it's easier this way, but rough."

"I don't care as long as we get outta here." Nero stated irritated.

Leorio meanwhile looked up and saw the others, much to his surprise.

"Gon, Kurapica, Nero!… Pietro?"

Then Kurapica explained what happened to them and that Tompa had tricked them.

"I see. But didn't you guys got affected?"

"Almost.." Kurapica started, but then stopped.

"Nothing happened to me." Gon answered.

"I guess nothing happened to you because you're still a kid. You have no worries." Leorio said, somewhat trying to tease him.

"Hey old man, we don't have time for chit-chat." Killua now said.

"Old Man? You...!"

"He's Killua." Gon introduced him.

"Ready for the next round?" Killua asked and threw three more bombs. Leorio looked after what Killua had thrown and asked:

"Huh? What was that? I heard a click."

"Duck." Nero simply said, with a monotone voice. Not a second later…

*BOOOOOM*

They blew a very big hole in the wall and landed in front of the examiners feet. Satotsu seemed to be slightly surprised, then asked:

"What is going on here?"

"We blew up a wall?" Nero answered, as if it was the most normal thing on earth. Satotsu looked at Nero, and seemed to be even more surprised when he saw her.

"Sorry, we had to break through the wall.." Gon apologized.

"I never said you couldn't do that. You wandered into the path of delusion and came back alive. Impressive." Satotsu said. Everyone else just gaped shocked at them, especially Tompa. Then Leorio saw said fat-ass and grabbed him by his collar.

"You bastard! I won't let you off so easily!"

"Quit it, Leorio!" Gon tried to calm him down.

"Shut up! Aren't you mad!" he asked Gon, being still pissed off.

"Obstacles are included in a test." Kurapica said calmly.

"Yeah, I already had a little talk with him." Nero nodded, with an obvious fake smile and shot Tompa an icy glare. Tompa flinched, while Killua whistled.

"If looks could kill…"

"Just remember. Do something like that again, and I'll have to keep my promise." she said _too_ calmly.

The examiner studied the situation, and seemed surprised, again. Then they started running, again.

~~~A little later~~~

Gon and Killua were running at the front, right after the examiner, while the other three were in the middle.

"Now everyone, this is almost the last spurt. I'm going to pick up my pace a little." Satotsu said, running faster. But the worst was, that they now had to run up many stairs, though the they could already see the exit of the underground passage.

"So, that's how it is, you liar." Kurapica said, running next to Leorio and Nero.

"I'm not. My objective is money. Past is past, money is money." Leorio said, after telling what had happened to his friend, who had died on an illness, because they couldn't pay for the operation.

"I hope you can become one." Kurapica said.

"Yeah, you would be a good one." Nero added.

"You guys don't have to tell me. I'm going to become a Hunter, even if I die!"

"No, we meant a doctor." Kurapica said.

"Don't look so innocent while saying that!" Leorio said annoyed, but was embarrassed, then said:

"Alright, let's go!"

"Are you alright, old man?" Nero asked, mocking him.

"Don't call me old man! But yeah, look how energetic I am! I'm going to keep walking, even if I have to run naked!"

"No, please don't." Nero remarked annoyed.

Then Kurapica took off his kimono-like cloak and stuffed it into his bag, then turned to Nero and said:

"Thank you for before."

"Huh? I didn't do anything to be thanked for." Nero shrugged.

"Why is that?" he asked her, slightly surprised.

"Well, I… should've helped you earlier. I actually didn't intend to help you."

"But you did, didn't you?"

Her eyes widened, then she thought:

"_Yeah… but why? I don't understand that myself..."_

He smiled, then said:

"We're friends. It's only natural that we want to help each other." She looked at him, her eyes wide open and was caught a little off guard.

"We're friends?" she asked.

"Of course, stupid." Leorio now said, who was running next to them again, having heard the conversation.

"_Friends, huh? That sure feels nice_." she thought, then grinned at them and said, saluting briefly:

"Then, please take care of me, or let's baby-sit Leorio."

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><p>*dies* Alright, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :D Please give my review button a hug. :D See ya next time! *waves*<p> 


	4. Hisoka's Test? x Cooking Disaster!

Hey everyone :D I hope you enjoy this chapter. I apologize for any mistakes or confusions.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's.**

* * *

><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 4 Hisoka's Test? x Cooking Disaster!<br>**

They finally reached the exit and now stood in the open, again.

"The 'Numelle's Swamp', nicknamed ' the Crooks nest'. This is the place where the second round will be. You'll have to go through there. The rare animals you'll find in the swamp, eat humans for lunch. They're birds of

prey, as well as gamers. Follow me and pay close attention. Losing the way results in death. Don't get tricked and do your best to follow me." Satotsu said.

Suddenly, the exits door closed, leaving the ones behind that were still inside.

"This guy is funny. Forearmed, we can't be surprised." Leorio said.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Nero said calmly, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"What do you mean?"

Before she could answer, someone behind them shouted:

"He's lying! That guy is lying! The real examiner is me!" the man shouted, being injured and held a dead monkey, wrapped in a towel.

Everyone looked at Satotsu, then at the other man. They whispered and eyed the situation sceptically, only Nero yawned.

"_This is bad… Everyone is getting confused!" _Kurapica thought. Now Leorio stepped forward the other man and said, jerking his thumb in Satotsu's direction:

"Hey, old man, you better have some proof! Proof that he's fake."

"Look at this!" the man yelled and threw the dead monkey with Satotsu's face on the ground.

"Is that a beast?"

"What is that?"

"Nasty." Nero remarked deadpan.

"Look at the face! It looks like the examiner's face!""Yes. This is a human-faced monkey that lives in Numelle Swamp. It takes the form of a human, tricks people and lures them into a trap. He's trying to kill all of you!" the man explained.

Everyone turned at Satotsu and were even more confused.

"Now that you mention it, it does seem true." Hanzo, the talkative ninja said.

"No wonder. The way he ran the marathon…" Leorio said.

"_Group psychology. Since everyone got through the first stage, a bond formed between them. If you go along with the flow, you won't be able to make a logical decision." _Kurapica thought, eyeing the situation.

"_All fools._" Nero thought annoyed, then Gon suddenly said, making them stop:

"Do you think this is part of the exam, too?"

"_Well done, Gon. You made everyone stop and think_." Kurapica thought, looking at the 12 year old boy.

"Hey Gon! You'd know, right? With your animal-like instincts?" Leorio asked him, bending down to him and putting a hand around his mouth.

"No, not at all. I don't smell anything. I think they're really well disguised. " Gon answered. Now Kurapica stepped forward and said:

"There is a way to determine who is real. The real examiner should have a Licence Card."

"He stole my card! I was attacked by surprise and he took it from me!" the other man yelled. Now Nero was mad.

"_Stole his Licence? No Hunter would let a damn monkey steal his Licence Card!" _she thought and clenched her fists.

"I see." Kurapica said.

"That means a card can't prove it, either!" Leorio said disappointed. Before Nero could attack the fake examiner, Hisoka already threw some of his cards, piercing the fake examiners forehead, while Satotsu caught the cards easily.

"I see, I see! This way, it's much faster~." Hisoka said, then threw another card at the monkey, that wasn't dead and had tried to run away, killing it.

"This settles everything. A Hunter, which we are all trying to become, well_ almost _everyone, should be able to block a simple attack like that." Hisoka said to Satotsu.

"I'll take that as a compliment. But, any more acts of violence against an examiner, will result you in failing." Satotsu said to Hisoka, throwing the cards away.

"Yes, yes~." Hisoka answered and turned the other way, but glanced over to Nero, who held his glance, giving him a death glare.

"_That bastard… He knows that I'm the person from last year, no doubt._" Nero thought and tried to concentrated on her friends, again.

"Real Hunter, shouldn't be tricked by a human-faced-monkey. The moment he said that his Licence Card was stolen, I knew he wasn't the real one." Kurapica said, raising an eyebrow.

"_I didn't notice…." _Leorio and Hanzo thought in union and their faces fell.

"But that that Hisoka guy had the guts to attack an examiner…" Kurapica added.

"Well, he almost killed one last year..." Nero shrugged.

Meanwhile Gon looked at the dead monkey, and Satotsu said, as some vultures started to eat the monkeys corpse:

"No need to grieve. These animals risk their lives trying to trick each other on a daily basis. Eat or be eaten. That's the rule of this swamp. Now, shall we go?"

~~~Later~~

"It's fog." Gon said, as a heavy mist aroused.

"We should move further ahead." Killua now said to Gon and Nero, who were running beside him.

"Yeah, it won't be good if we lose sight of the examiner." Gon responded.

"That's not what he meant." Nero said calmly, glancing back over her shoulder, worrying about Kurapica and Leorio.

"Yes, we should get as far away from Hisoka as soon as possible." Killua told him.

"Huh?"

"He has a strong urge to kill people. No doubt he will use the fog." Killua now said and looked at Gon, who seemed to wonder a bit.

"You seem t be interested how I would know. It's because he and I are of the same type. I can feel it, if you prefer."

"Of the same race? I couldn't tell…" Gon said.

"That's because, I am well disguised and putting on a good face." Killua explained, but then Gon shouted over his shoulder, interrupting Killua:

"Kurapica! Leorio! Killua says we should go further ahead!"

Meanwhile Killua's face fell in disbelief.

"_You're not nervous at all…"_

"Dumbass, if I could've, I would've already!" Leorio shouted back.

"Then do something about it and come over here!"

"It's impossible, damn it!"

Nero sighed, then said:

"Well, I'll be off then."

"Don't tell me-" Killua wanted to ask.

"I'm going to the other two. You two are safer in the front, so try and stay as close to the examiner as you can." Nero commanded and was already up and away.

"Nero!" Gon shouted after her, but she was already out of their sight.

"Don't worry about her. She is strong." Killua said calmly, remembering the incident with Tompa.

"_I wonder how much of her real strength she is hiding, anyway_…"

~~~Meanwhile by Kurapica and Leorio~~~

"The fog is getting thicker…" Kurapica pointed out, as the fog was almost so heavy, that seeing clearly was not possible anymore.

"Shit! We won't be able to see the guys in front of us!" Leorio said pissed.

"_To drift from the group is dangerous, but… running near that guy is much more dangerous._" Kurapica glanced over to Hisoka.

Then they passed huge tortoises, poisonous moths, huge frogs, that appeared out of the ground, and more.

Suddenly, they were attacked by someone. Kurapica dodged the attack with his two Tanto's, but Leorio's shoulder got hit by one of the cards, while some of the other candidates got killed.

Then Hisoka appeared out of the fog, laughing amused, yet evilly.

"Bastard… What are you doing!" Leorio yelled at him, holding his injured shoulder.

"Playing examiner~. I thought about staying quiet until the second exam, but I got bored~. So I decided to help out the Examination Committee with their job. I'll judge you guys, whether you're worthy of becoming Hunters. " Hisoka answered with a slight grin.

~~~Meanwhile by Nero~~~

"Err… where the heck am I?" she asked herself, looking around, and tried to find Kurapica and Leorio. Nobody was in sight.

Unfortunately, Nero's sense of direction wasn't the best…

~~~Back by Kurapica and Leorio~~~

Hisoka killed one candidate after another, not hesitating at all. Now, only Kurapica, Leorio and another candidate, named Pokkle, were alive.

"_Shit, my Tanto is in my bag!" _Leorio thought, thinking of his weapon that was in his bag, that Gon still carried.

"All of you fail. Only the three of you remain now. " Hisoka said, turning to them.

"When I signal, split up and run. He's strong. Even an assassin, when taking someone's life, hesitates for a short moment, but he doesn't have that!" Pokkle said.

"You're right. Even if we combine our strength, we probably can't win." Kurapica agreed, keeping his eyes on Hisoka.

"How would you know without trying?" Leorio yelled angrily.

"You guys have a good reason to become Hunters, right? It may be vexing, but we should retreat now." Pokkle interfered.

Not a second later, they split up and ran in different directions.

Hisoka seemed to be amused by their actions and counted to ten until he wanted to chase after them.

But suddenly, Leorio appeared in front of him, saying:

"I can't do it."

"Have you given up~?" Hisoka asked.

"No, the opposite. To have to endure my anger after being beaten, I'd have to be more mature!" Leorio responded and attacked Hisoka.

He tried to hit him with a long wooden stick, that looked like a Bo*, but Hisoka simply jumped and cut it in half.

Then he appeared behind Leorio, but before said guy could do something, Hisoka hit him and then wanted to kill him, as he said:

"That's a facial expression I like~, but this is the end for you~."

But before Hisoka could kill him, something hit him on the head. Leorio narrowed his eyes, and saw Gon. Who held his angle pole and were panting.

"You're pretty good, kid. That's an interesting weapon. Show it to me~." Hisoka said and came closer to Gon.

"You're fighting against me!" Leorio shouted and attacked him from behind, but Hisoka just hit him in his face, sending him flying and knocking him out. Now Gon tried to hit Hisoka with his angle rod, but Hisoka grabbed him by his throat, and

said amused, while having an excited, yet dark expression:

"Came to help your friend? What a good boy."

Suddenly, someone appeared from behind, kicking Hisoka, but he dodged it with his arm. Then the person flipped in the air and landed next to him, grabbing his wrist.

"Let go of him, punk, at once." Nero hissed, and her face had darkened. He looked in her eyes, and seemed very amused.

"The cloaked person from last year~. It's so nice to see you, again.~"

"I'd appreciate it, if you wouldn't remind me of something that makes me wanna puke." Nero said dryly, then added, sounding intimidating and clenching his wrist more:

"And now, let my friend down." He still looked in her intense eyes, that were glittering with anger, then said:

"I love that look in your eyes."

"I hate your attitude." He ignored her cold remark and chuckled.

"Don't worry, your friend passed, too, just like you last year." he said and let Gon down, grinning at him, then said to Kurapica, who came back:

"Oh, my, my… You came back? How wonderful. So the saying, 'Everyone should have a friend,' is true."

Suddenly, a phone rang, and Hisoka took it out of one of his trouser pockets. After he had answered it, he walked over to Leorio, and threw him over his shoulder.

"Leorio!" Gon shouted.

"Don't worry. I didn't kill him, because he passed, too." Hisoka told him.

"What do you mean?" Gon asked, shouting.

"Hmm…" Hisoka turned to Gon, who yelled:

"Give Leorio back!"

"If you want him back, follow me.~" Then he disappeared into the fog.

Gon sank on his knees, and tried to calm down his heart, that was beating very fast. Nero noticed it and squatted next to him. Kurapica ran over to them, asking if they were alright and Gon nodded standing up.

"And what about you?" Nero asked Kurapica, looking at him.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Then they ran after Hisoka and Leorio.

~~~A few minutes later~~~

Gon sniffed on the air, then shouted:

"This way!"

"How do you know it _that_ clearly?" Kurapica asked.

"The cologne Leorio had on is unique."

"_He's like a dog_." Nero and Kurapica thought in union, as their face's fell and shot each other a glance.

"Also like a signpost, corpses of animal are lying around. They probably attack Hisoka and were killed instantly." Gon said, looking at the animal corpses that they passed.

"But that doesn't mean that Hisoka is heading towards the goal. Just like hunting, he might be making us run around, then kill us, for his amusement." Kurapica pointed out.

"Even so, we can't abandon Leorio." Gon said.

"Don't worry." Nero now said.

"Huh?"

"Hisoka won't kill him. Well, at least not now."

"Come to think of it, he said that I and Leorio passed, just like you, Nero. What do you think he meant?" Gon asked.

"He said he was playing examiner. That means that Hisoka was testing us." Kurapica explained.

"Testing? But all he did was to look at my face." Gon said.

"You hit him, remember?" Nero said.

"I did, but Leorio didn't. He even got knocked out!"

"Maybe he sensed that you two were connected somehow…" Kurapica pointed out.

"_Killua said something like that_…" Gon thought.

"You'd have to be blind not to see his immense strength and abilities. His fighting skills alone are superhuman. It's often that people with special abilities recognize those who are their equals… It was probably his experience and intuition that

enabled him to sense your potential for becoming a Hunter. 'Killing them now won't bring me any flame,' that is what he must have thought." Kurapica said. Gon became quiet and Nero sighed.

"Sorry, I said something insensitive." Kurapica apologized.

"No, Killua said the same thing. I was scared and wanted to run away back then, but I couldn't even turn my back on him. I thought 'this is the end,' at that moment. I might have been killed, but isn't it weird? I was actually a little excited." Gon said.

Nero snorted all of a sudden, that sounded like a laugh.

"I know what you mean. From all the people that are here, I want to fight him and yet don't want to fight him, the most."

Both males eyed her. They remembered how calm she was, despite the situation.

"_Who on earth is she?" _Kurapica thought.

"You are not a rookie, are you?" Kurapica asked her. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes, then said, after being quiet for a second:

"I never said I was."

"You're not a rookie?" Gon asked, with raised eyebrows. She snorted amused, then said:

"Well, no, but I thought I hid it well, though. Let's just say I'm used to situations like this." They looked at her, and she grinned slightly, then said:

"I'll tell you who I am soon, since we're friends. Just be a bit patient. But for now, I'm picking up the pace, so hurry up."

…

They saw the other participants and arrived right in time. Satotsu gave the sign that the first exam was finally over.

"Looks like we made it in time." Kurapica said relieved.

"Where are Leorio and Hisoka?" Gon looked around, then saw Hisoka, who pointed at something. They walked over to a still unconscious Leorio, who leaned against a tree.

"Leorio!" Gon shouted, waking him up. His face was swollen, because Hisoka had hit him.

"Other than the wound on your arm, you look alright." Kurapica said. Leorio pointed at his cheek and yelled:

"You mocking me? Look at my face!" Kurapica studied his face with a serious expression, then said:

"It's the same as usual."

"Yeah, as sloppy as always." Nero said deadpan and shrugged.

"You're both irritating!"Leorio said annoyed, then added:

"Damn, what the hell happened?"

"You don't remember?" Gon asked.

"Well, I remember going into the swamp…"

"We shouldn't tell him…" Kurapica said to Nero and Gon, putting a hand around his mouth. Both agreed, then Satotsu told everyone:

"Congratulations. The people who made it here, passed the first exam. I wish all of you good luck on the second exam."

Satotsu left and they stood in front of a rather tattered looking house.

"It's almost time!" Gon said excited.

"Are you all getting nervous?" Kurapica asked.

"Yeah, we don't know what kinda guy will come out." Leorio said. They heard weird sounds and Nero had a bad feeling.

"_Please not her… That's such a pain…"_

"We could be suddenly attacked." Leorio added.

"I don't think so… I think it's worse…" Nero mumbled annoyed, grimacing.

At exactly 12 noon, the doors opened and they saw a pink haired woman, who was rather lightly dressed and a huge guy sitting behind her.

"Sorry for making you wait!" the woman said.

Nero turned pale.

"… It is worse. …Why me?"

"Have you gotten hungry yet, Buhara?" the woman asked the huge guy. His stomach growled and he said:

"The noise says it all. I'm really hungry, Menchi."

"We Epicure Hunters will be in charge of the second exam." Menchi, the woman, said.

"Epicure Hunter?" Leorio asked in disbelief.

"What's that?" Gon asked.

"Annoying." Nero answered his question and her eyelid began to twitch annoyed.

"An Epicure Hunter is a Hunter that scours the world for all sorts of ingredients. They also try to create interesting new flavours." Kurapica explained.

"The second exam will be about cooking." Menchi said.

"Cooking?"

"…" "If you guys have a problem with that, go home." Menchi said.

"Bitchy as always…" Nero hissed annoyed under her breath.

"Well, what kind of dish do we have to prepare?" Hanzo, the talkative ninja, asked.

"First, you'll cook something I specify." Buhara told them, then Menchi added:

"Then you can prepare a dish I specify. That means, if both of us say it's good, you pass."

"That's not fair! What tastes good varies between people!"

"We're finished if it doesn't satisfy you examiners!"

Most of the candidates threw a fit and complained, but then Menchi said, pissed off:

"Like I said before, everyone who doesn't like it, can go home. Bye, bye."

"Bullshit! We can't go home now!" Leorio yelled and everyone agreed.

"Anyway, you pass if you can make us both say it's good. The exam will be over when both of us are full." Menchi continued.

"Damn, I've never cooked in my life." Leorio grumbled.

"I didn't expect this kind of exam." Kurapica said.

"I did!" Gon said.

"Eh? What can you make?" Leorio asked.

"There's a lot, but the dish I'm good at is rare egg over rice." Gon answered.

"Egg over rice?" Leorio asked and the friends looked at him in disbelief.

"W-Well, that is a dish…" Kurapica said.

"But it will still taste the same no matter who ita makes." Leorio face palmed.

"That's not true! Mito-san complimented me before." Gon said. Nero just grinned, then said:

"Give it up, you two."

"Ah, fine. Let me try it someday." Leorio gave up.

"M-Me too." Kurapica said and smiled.

"Ok, the menu is roast pork. That's what I like best! The worlds most violent pig that lives in this forest, Great Stamp!" Buhara said, with sparkly eyes.

"_Most violent pig? I always thought that would be Menchi_…" Nero thought and stuck her tongue out.

Suddenly, they heard a sound and Nero's expression turned blank.

"Step back." she simply said and took one step back. Not a second later, the people in front of her were overrun by a crowd of Great Stamp's.

"I hate crowds, even if it's just pigs…" Nero snorted annoyed, then placed her hands in her trouser pockets and simply kicked one of the pigs on its head. It fell down immediately and she could cook it.

Meanwhile Kurapica, Gon and Leorio ran away from some of the Great Stamp, then split up.

~~~A little later~~~

"The end! Seventy roasted pigs, completed!" Menchi yelled and stood next to a stuffed Buhara, who had eaten seventy pigs, and almost everyone passed, much to Menchi's dismay.

"He's a monster…" Everyone gaped at him in disbelief, yet were somehow disgusted.

"Hunters are really amazing!" Gon said.

"Well, in a way. But I don't want to be like that.." Killua said, looking at Buhara.

"That's odd. It's clear that the amount he ate is greater that his body weight." Kurapica pointed out.

"I don't think you have to worry that much…" Leorio shook his head.

"Now, the second half of the exam. My menu is Sushi!" Menchi said, and everyone became quiet.

"Sushi?"

"What's that?"

"What kind of dish is that?"

"It's impossible to cook something we don't know."

Everyone looked puzzled and Menchi grinned cockily.

"You look troubled. Well, it's no wonder you don't know. It's a cultural dish from a small island country. I'll give you a hint! Please look inside!" Menchi said and pointed inside the house.

Inside, they found the required tools and ingredients for making Sushi.

"And the biggest hint… I'll only accept pressed Sushi! Now start!"

Everyone eyed their tools and everything else, and were quite clueless. Nero, who stood next to Kurapica, started to play with one of the knifes, while saying:

"Since she said something about island country… it could be something with fish." Nero pointed out, rather unenthusiastically.

"You're right. I don't know the exact shape, but I remember reading about it in a document." Kurapica added.

"Really?" Leorio asked hopefully.

"It said 'It's a dish with rice, mixed with vinegar and seasonings, topped with fish meat'."

"Fish? We're inside a forest!" Leorio shouted.

*SLAM*

Kurapica threw a spoon on his head, then said angrily:

"Your voice is too loud! There is fish in rivers or ponds!" Then they suddenly realized what they had just done. They looked around and noticed that everyone had listened to their conversation.

Nero face palmed.

"Idiot…"

Now everyone ran outside, searching for a river or a pond

"It's unfair that everyone eavesdropped!" Leorio complained.

"_He's hopeless_…" Kurapica thought annoyed.

"Oi, can I kill him?" Nero asked and pointed angrily at Leorio.

"Go ahead…" Kurapica responded irritated.

~~~Later~~~

Leorio was the first to offer Menchi his self-made Sushi. Menchi looked at the plate and threw it away the second she had looked at it.

"That's not edible!" She shouted angrily.

The next was Gon, who hadn't any more luck than Leorio.

"You're not better than number 403!" she shouted, she threw the plate away.

"I'm at the same level as Leorio…" Gon said depressed.

"We know how you feel." Kurapica said, as he and Nero placed a hand on his shoulders.

"Buck up!" Nero said encouraging.

"What! You have a problem?" Leorio yelled behind them.

Meanwhile, Menchi didn't eat one single thing the candidates made, only getting more and more angry.

Suddenly, Kurapica said:

"I got it!"

"Huh?"

He placed his plate in front of Menchi, being sure that he got it right.

"You're at the same level as the first guy!" Menchi yelled and threw his plate away.

"…"

Kurapica's face fell in shock and turned blue.

"That's just wrong." Nero said and placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head.

"Yeah, such a shock!" Leorio shouted angrily.

"Damn it, all of you! You don't have any skill!" Menchi meanwhile started to throw a fit.

But now, it was Hanzo's turn and he obviously knew what Sushi was.

"How's that! This is real sushi!" Hanzo said.

"Finally something that looks normal." Menchi said and ate it. She chewed, then said:

"No. It's not good. Redo it" Hanzo's face fell and he yelled:

"What? For Sushi, you press rice into a rectangular shape and make it into a mouthful size! On that, you put wasabi and sliced fish meat! It's an easy dish! There is no difference no matter who it makes!"

He gulped, then started to sweat nervously. He noticed that everyone eavesdropped.

Now Menchi snapped. She grabbed Hanzo by his collar and had an demonic expression, as she shouted:

"Don't fool around with me, bastard! You need 10 more years to prepare Sushi probably! IDIOT"

"Then don't make it the topic for the test!" Hanzo yelled back, but was intimidated.

"Shut up! Got a problem? Want to die?" Menchi yelled even louder.

"What a short life he had…" Nero said deadpan.

~~~A little later~~~

Everyone brought their plates, now knowing how to make it.

"Looks like I'll have to judge by taste." Menchi said irritated, then started to eat.

"No. You pressed it to hard. The rice won't break apart."

"Menchi, isn't that a little too strict?" Buhara tried to convince her.

"Shut up!" she shouted at him, making him twitch. Then she continued.

"The way you slice the fish is totally wrong."

"The shape of the rice is bad."

"You made it to slowly. Your body warmth is on the fish."

Nero's eyelid began to twitch annoyed, as she leaned on the wall and eyed the situation.

"_I knew this would get ugly. That damn witch won't let anyone pass at this rate. Wah… the first exam I will ever fail in my life is a cooking exam!"_

~~~A little later~~~

Menchi sipped on her tea and said relaxed:

"Sorry, I'm full now."

"What does that men?" Hanzo asked.

"So, just as I said earlier, no one passes. Come again.~" she said and waved.

Now the air tensed up and everyone was pissed.

"That's not fair,"

"This isn't funny."

Nero face palmed.

"_She did it…"_

* * *

><p>I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please give my review button a hug :D<p>

_*Bo= _It's a long japanese staff weapon.

Nero:

Since I really just drew a sketch of Nero (my damn drawing tablet is still broken xD) I will tell you about the colours that her clothes, hair, eyes, etc. have. (I'm trying to colour her, but it's a pain with the mouse^^)

Hair: dark blue

Eyecolour: silver/grey_  
><em>

Tattoo: black

_Shirt: white_

_Vest: turquoise_

_Pants: black_

_Knee socks: white_

_Boots: black  
><em>


	5. Grandfather? x Hunter? x Stowaway!

Hey everyone :D I hope you enjoy this chapter and I apologize for any confusions or mistakes.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's.**

* * *

><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 5 - Grandfather? x Hunter? x Stowaway!<br>**

"If I say this exam is over, then it's over!" Menchi shouted, not changing her decision.

"I won't stop here! If she thinks I'm going to go home saying 'Yes, of course'. I came to become a Blacklist Hunter!" Wrestler Todo shouted.

Nero tried to hold back a laugher. "_Blacklist Hunter… of course…"_

"Too bad. Tell yourself that you weren't lucky to be tested by us. Maybe you'll be luckier next year." Menchi said and he snapped.

"Are you mocking me?"

Not a second later, Buhara already hit him, sending him flying and knocking him out.

"I don't recall asking for your help." Menchi said, having already drawn her knifes behind her back.

"Maybe, but if I didn't you would have 'cooked' him." Buhara answered.

"Cook?" Leorio asked in disbelief.

"I'd like to see that." Killua said with a smirk.

"I don't think you want to." Nero remarked deadpan.

"Black List Hunters? The type of Hunter you want to be has nothing to so with us. Whatever type of Hunter you are, you need perfect knowledge of the art of fighting." Menchi said angrily, spinning her knifes around.

Meanwhile Nero noticed that Satotsu was leaning against the house's wall from the outside, listening to the tumult that was inside.

"And what now?" she asked quietly.

Now Satotsu stepped inside, and said:

"Let's stop this now. No one here doubts your ability to be an examiner. How should I say this? I shouldn't be butting in the second exam, but.."

"Then please don't! No matter what anyone says, I don't intend on changing the result of the exam."

"But still, isn't failing everyone a little bit harsh?" someone suddenly said, and much to everyone's surprise, an airship with the sign of the Hunter Committee appeared.

They ran outside, looking at the airship. Then someone jumped out of it, landing in front of them and creating a crater in the ground.

"P-President…" Menchi stared at him and was speechless. Nero's face just fell.

"Uh-oh…What the heck is he doing her?" She mumbled and tried to avoid eye contact with Netero.

"What's with that old geezer? " Leorio asked.

"Menchi said 'President'. That means…" Kurapica started.

"He jumped from that height. Amazing!" Gon said with big eyes.

"Yeah. What are his legs made of?" Killua said, eyeing the crater he created.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, President Netero." Menchi said nervously and bowed.

"The Examination Committees President, Netero. He's the most important person in charge for the Hunter exam." Satotsu said, stepping in the front now.

"Oh, so he is an important person!" Gon said.

"Even if you say in charge, I work behind the scenes. I basically resolve troubled situations like these" Netero answered, then looed over to Nero and grinned, walking over to her.

"You shouldn't treat your grandfather so coldly, especially not when you see him again after weeks."

EHHHHHH?

Everyone looked back and forth to Nero, then over to Netero, stunned.

"Grandfather?"

"The President is your grandfather?"

"No way!"

"Thanks old man. Now you did it." Nero looked at him and face palmed annoyed.

"Instead of complaining, give me a hug!" he said happily, yet mocked her.

"No way in hell." she responded with a straight face.

"You're so cold!" he complained in a fake way.

Everyone just gaped at them in disbelief.

"I can't believe that she is his granddaughter…" Leorio said and the other three nodded, as they watched Nero, who tried to avoid being hugged by Netero.

"You're not here to annoy me, but to scold Menchi!" Nero meanwhile hissed annoyed. Netero nodded, then cleared his throat.

"Now Menchi…" Netero now turned to her and she answered nervously:

"Y-Yes, President."

"Menchi is acting all nervous now…" Leorio said, bending down to Kurapica and Nero.

"Which means that he is a powerful person." Kurapica pointed out.

Menchi meanwhile tried to explain herself, but in the end she apologized, realizing, thanks to Netero, that she didn't test them thoroughly enough.

"When it comes to cooking, I lose myself. I'm not worthy being an examiner. I'm sorry." she said and bowed, but Netero just laughed, then said:

"You're an honest girl. As an examiner, you do seem to have some problems, but it's proof that you're passionate about cooking. Then, how about this. Redo the test, and Menchi will resume the examiner. But before the new test, you'll have to

give a demonstration. How's that?"

"I thought we were screwed." Leorio said and everyone let out a sigh of relieve.

"But there is no difference in that it's a cooking test." Kurapica told him.

"And? What's the next topic for the retest?" Netero asked.

"The topic is… _a boiled egg_."

"…"

"A boiled egg?"

"President, could you take us to that mountain over there?" Menchi asked Netero, pointing at a mountain that could be seen from there.

"I see. That's an easy task." he said.

~~~A little later~~~

They stood on top of the mountain and a deep canyon split it.

"Don't worry. There's a deep river down there." Menchi said, taking her shoes off, then jumped down.

"I see. She went to get the Spider-Eagle egg…" Nero said rather bored and looked down.

"That's right. The Spider-Eagle extends a tough string between the valley and hangs its egg on them, in order to protect it from predators." Netero explained.

"So we get one egg, come up again and then boil it, correct?" Nero asked unenthusiastically.

"Correct!" he said, then Menchi came back.

"You make a boiled egg with this. Be careful though. The river flows pretty fast. If you fall, you'll flow non-stop to the ocean… Which is 20 to 30 kilometres away." she said and showed them the egg.

Most of them looked at her as if she was nuts, not wanting to jump down.

"Oh, boy…" Killua said, placing his arms behind his head.

"I was waiting for these kinds of tests." Gon said excited.

"This is much easier to understand than running and culture foods." Leorio said grinning.

"I agree." Kurapica nodded.

"Whatever." Nero shrugged. But she wasn't prepared for what came next...

"You're going ahead!" Netero said laughing, pushing her down the cliff with a kick. "That's for treating me coldly~" he waved after her.

"You damn old geeeeezer~!" she shouted, as she fell and her voice echoed in the canion.

Then Leorio jumped down, followed from Killua, Gon and Kurapica.

Nero meanwhile stopped her fall, grabbing one of the strings, hanging on it with the back of her knees.

She grabbed on of the eggs, then looked for her friends, who didn't have any problems as well. Then they climbed up again.

"Times up! Show me the eggs you guys got!" Menchi said. They boiled their eggs, then tasted them, agreeing that they were much better than a normal boiled egg.

"Second exam, 43 people pass! Menchi's menu is now complete!"

~~~Later on the airship~~~

"Again, good job everyone. We are scheduled to arrive at the next destination at 8:00 AM." Menchi said to everyone. Netero just smiled and stroked over his beard, as he said:

"This tension is fine with me. Everyone looks so serious!" Suddenly, his assistant and secretary, Maamen said:

"President, we have to get back to the Hunter Committee for the meeting."

"That's not really important. Someone else can go instead of me."

"But…"

"It can't be helped, since we had an unexpected incident. If something happens, we should be here to resolve it, so I'm taking along." Netero said.

"But President!"

"I bet he came here to skip this meeting in the first place..." Nero mumbled with a bored face, placing her hands in her trouser pockets.

"Until the next meeting, it's free time." Menchi now announced.

"She said it's free time!" Gon said to Killua.

"Yeah. Let's go and explore the airship!" Killua said, stretching himself.

"The atmosphere when everything is taking place is nice." Netero said relaxed. His secretary just sighed distressed, giving up to covince him to go to the meeting.

Meanwhile Kurapica and Leorio put their bags down and slid down the wall, being totally exhausted. Gon put his bag down as well, then asked:

"Hey, Kurapica. You're going to explore the airship with us, right?"

"No… I'll pass." he said, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Then what about you, Leorio?"

"I'll pass, too. I'm too tired." Leorio answered sleepy.

"Nero, what about you?" Gon asked. She slid down the wall next to Kurapica, then answered:

"Maybe later."

"Alright. We're going, see you later!" Gon said and both ran out of the room.

"What an energetic bunch. I just want to sleep." Leorio said.

"Me too. It was a terrible long day." Kurapica answered.

"You guys have no stamina." Nero joked.

"You guys should be careful. This place might be the third exam centre. Also, the meeting might not be at 8:00 AM." Tompa said, trying to make them nervous, then left. They looked at each other, then Nero said:

"Don't worry. Gramps is mean, but when he said the meeting is at 8:00 AM, then it is."

"So, you really are the Presidents granddaughter?" Kurapica asked.

"Yeah, that was a shock." Leorio said.

"Well, yeah, I'm his granddaughter. But I was adopted when I was six." she shrugged, looking at them.

Suddenly, she turned her head around, and almost got an heart attack. In front of her squatted Netero, who grinned.

"What the heck are you doing!" she hissed.

"I wanted to see the face of my cute granddaughter from up close." he laughed, teasing her, while poking her cheek, much to her annoyance.

"Damn you! Don't call me cute." she said annoyed. But before she could say anything else, he said, looking at Kurapica and Leorio, who were rather speechless.

"They are your...?"

"My friends, so please don't tease them." Nero raised an eyebrow.

"I would never tease anyone." Netero said, almost sounding convincing.

"No, of course not." she answered sarcastically.

"Well, thank you for taking care of her." Netero said. They nodded at him, still not knowing what to say.

"Did you want something?" Nero asked Netero now.

"Yes, actually…" he started, then stroked his beard again and looked in Menchi's, Satotsu's and Buhara's direction. Nero sighed, then stood up and said:

"I got it. Well, guys, see you later." she waved briefly, then left. Kurapica and Leorio looked after her, wondering.

"_Why would a candidate go with the examiners?" _Kurapica thought, but was too tired to think about it further.

~~~A few minutes later~~~

"So, what do you think about the candidates this year?" Buhara said, sitting together with Menchi, Satotsu and Nero, drinking tea.

"Although I did fail all of them once, I think most of them have a good chance." Menchi said.

"Yeah, I can't believe you did that. The first damn exam I would have ever failed in my life, would have been because you lost it." she joked, but rolled her eyes.

"Oh, shut up, I couldn't help it! But anyway, what do you think, Satotsu?" Menchi asked.

"Let's see. The rookies are good this year." he answered.

"You think so, too? I think number 294 was pretty good. But not because he's bold." Menchi said. Nero looked at her.

_"What kind of reason would that be, anyway?"_

"Yeah, he was the only one that knew about Sushi." Buhara agreed with Menchi.

"He talks too much." Nero remarked indifferently, sipping on her tea.

"Number 99 is on top of my list. He has the qualities. He must have received some sort of special training." Satotsu said, referring to Killua.

"He's probably just a selfish brat. He's definitely blood type B. I wouldn't be able to live with him." Menchi pointed out.

"Killua can be a brat, but he's pretty cool and has a lot of talent. As for me, I noticed him right away when I saw him." Nero said crossing her legs, resting her elbow on her leg, and her head in her hand.

"I see. What about you Buhara?" Menchi asked.

"Well, he's not a rookie, but number 44 caught my attention. I think you guys noticed it, too. He cannot hold in his violent intentions." Buhara said, referring to Hisoka.

"Of course I knew. I was in a bad mood because of that. He was always trying to pick a fight with me." Menchi agreed.

"He did the same to me as well. He is the same type of person as us. Just that he prefers to dwell on the dark side. We Hunters seek a rival somewhere. To him, the Hunter Exam is a field competition. He's dangerous. " Satotsu said.

"True. I noticed him last year, too." Nero said, placing her hand on her chin, thinking, while getting irritated at the thought.

"Yeah, I remember. An examiner was almost killed because of him." Menchi pointed out.

"He would have killed him, but I just couldn't stand looking at it any longer. Like you said, he tried to provoke me last year, too, same as this year. But he didn't attack me. He just said that 'I passed his test'. " Nero snorted annoyed.

"Well, he is definitely dangerous. But I must admit that he has everything to become a Hunter. Well, anyway, since the President asked you to observe the candidates this year, too, what do you think about the rookies?" Satotsu said then asked Nero.

"Like you already said, the rookies this year are amazing, and quite unique, too. On top of my list are number 99, number 404, and number 405, and 403, too... somehow." she answered.

"Yeah, I noticed number 405, too. He's a nice kid, with excellent instincts." Satotsu agreed.

"He has something about him that just makes you want to help him." Nero shrugged, but grinned slightly.

"And 403... I don't know, but I really like his reason to become a Hunter. And about 404...He is very intelligent and had a excellent sense of observation and judgement." Nero told them.

"I agree. He caught my eye , too." Satotsu agreed.

"Yeah, he has a lot of potential. But he actually already caught my attention when I first saw him." Nero told them, spacing out for a short second. Menchi grinned, then rubbed her elbow in Nero's ribs.

"Hoho~. Caught your attention right away, huh?~" she snickered evilly. Nero stared at her with a blank expression for a second, then turned her head and sighed stressed out.

"What was that?" Menchi yelled at her, being irritated at her behaviour.

"I'm trying to ignore your impure thoughts." Nero joked deadpan.

"Please stop it. But Nero, you do seem fond of a few candidates." Satotsu said. Nero looked at him, then said, after being quiet for a second:

"Well, they are my friends." They looked at her, surprised.

"Your friends? You befriended someone? The brat who only wantts to be left alone? Now I'm even more interested in them." Menchi said, still stunned.

"I agree." Satotsu said with wide eyes.

Then Menchi's cell phone rang and what she heard was not to everyone's liking.

"Damn it, they should have told me earlier." Menchi said angrily.

"What's the matter?" Buhara asked.

"It seems that someone who failed the exam is here." Menchi answered with a serious expression.

"Someone has snuck in?" Satotsu asked.

"If the President finds out about this mistake-" Menchi started, but suddenly, someone already asked:

"Finds out about what?"

They turned around and found Netero, who was standing in front of them.

"P-President…"

"Hoho~ Looks like there hasn't been a boring moment this year." Netero said laughing. Then he looked at Nero and said:

"Nero, could you welcome our stowaway?"

"Gotcha." Nero simply said, saluting briefly, then she was already up and away, disappearing from everyone's sight as fast as lightning.

They looked at the place where Nero stood not a second ago, then Satotsu said, slightly stunned:

"This girl and her skills are really amazing. She is only 16, and already a professional Hunter, with good chances of becoming a One Star Hunter." Netero laughed.

"Hoho~ Well, she is my granddaughter, after all." he said proudly.

Satotsu, Menchi and Buhara face palmed.

_"President and his granddaughter-complex..."_

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Gon and Killua were sitting together with a mysterious girl, who told them that she wanted to be a Blacklist Hunter, because her father was killed by an assassin, who was part of the Zoldyck family.

"I see, I see. That must be tough. I know how you feel. Let's become Hunters together and fulfil that dream. My name is Leorio, what is your name?" Leorio asked, way too charmingly and Gon answered for her:

"She's Anita!"

"Anita? That's a nice name." Leorio said.

"I'm not in the mood or that kind of thing! Leave me alone!" Anita said angrily.

"We can't do that! My name is Kurapica. I'm trying to become a Backlist Hunter myself, so I can't think of your problem as a stranger's problem." Kurapica said, who had appeared together with Leorio.

"Don't get involved. She has a grudge against me." Killua said. Anita stood up, smacking Leorio's hand away.

"I heard a rumour, that someone from the Zoldyck family was going to take this year's exam." Anita said, glarig at Killua.

"_So Killua is_…" Kurapica thought looking at Killua.

"Bingo. I _am_ a member of the Zoldyck family." Killua said smirking.

"So that's why you took the Hunter Exam. You wanted revenge." Leorio pointed out, looking at Anita.

"You should remember this. Only a person who is really hated by others gets killed by an assassin." Killua said calmly, yet mockingly.

"I won't forgive you!" Anita yelled, threw the table over, which Gon was sitting on and tried to attack Killua. Kurapica tried to hold her back, but she shook him off and tried to stab Killua with her knife.

Killua, however, avoided her attack, appearing behind her. She tried to stab him again, but now someone else interfered.

Netero appeared next to her, simply catching her knife and held it back, while Nero appeared next to Killua, trying to kick her, but stopped the kick a few inches before hitting Anita's face.

"Let her. What a troublesome geezer." Killua said annoyed.

"It's true that examiners aren't usually supposed to deal with conflicts among candidates." Netero said, letting go of the knife.

"But our little Miss Drama Queen here already failed the second exam. No matter what reason, a person who has failed the exam can't compete to someone who passed." Nero added, drawing her leg back.

They looked at her, questioning, then Leorio shouted:

"Why the hell are you with the examiners, anyway!" She pointed at herself, then said, as if it was the most normal thing on earth:

"Because I'm a member of the Committee?"

"…"

EHHH?

She rubbed her neck, then said a little nervous:

"Well, I planned to tell you… I actually already am a Hunter… since four years ago…"

"So you became a Hunter when you were 12? When you were a rookie?"

"Well, I wasn't really a rookie. I tried to sneak in when I was 11, but was caught…"

They gaped at her, not knowing what to say.

"… So that's the case… But.. Why are you taking the exam, again?" Kurapica asked her, who already predicted it.

"I'm not exactly taking it, again...But since gramps is usually in charge of the last exam, he wants me to gather information's about the candidates. It's way easier to think of something, if you know the ones who are participating."

"I see…"

…

Anita was captured and Netero said, before he left to ask her some questions:

"Nero, you can stay with your friends."

"Don't tell me to go after someone when you're doing it yourself, anyway!" Nero mumbled annoyed to herself.

"She should have known that she would get caught pretty quickly for sneaking in." Leorio said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"If I had failed the exam, I would have done the same thing. The reason. It's not logical." Kurapica said, and his expression became somehow sad. Nero felt herself becoming depressed as well, seeing his expression.

Then suddenly, Killua left and Gon followed him. Nero was about to leave, too, wanting to look for her grandfather. But before she left, she hit Kurapica lightly on his shoulder, wanting to cheer him up, then said with a smile, yet her expression was

somehow dark and she sounded a little intimidating:

"I already told the other examiners so many good things about you, including your excellent sense of judgement and logical thinking. So don't you dare do anything stupid now,_ okay?_" He looked at her in disbelief and sweated nervously, then said:

"…Yes, Ma'am…" Now she smiled for real and said, saluting briefly and winking at the two, as she left:

"I'll be taking my leave then. See you later."

"Ah, wait Nero, what do you think will happen to Anita?" Leorio asked, as she already started walking.

"She will be punished severely. She might even lose the right to participate in the Hunter exam again." she called over her shoulder and sighed.

When she was out of their sight, Leorio, who had a rather mischievous expression, bend down to Kurapica, who was slightly smiling to himself. A cold chill ran down Kurapica's spine and he had an ominous feeling.

"W-What is it?"

"Nothing~." Leorio said grinning.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Nero entered the large room, where Netero, Gon and Killua where in. Netero dribbled a ball and Nero slowly face palmed, knowing what was about to happen.

_"Not that game_…" she thought, then snorted:

"Oi, gramps" Don't bully my friends."

"Don't worry, I won't"

_"Why do I doubt that..."_

"Anyways, if you can get the ball from me, you guys win. Or do you lack the confidence to beat me?" Netero turned to the other two, mocking them.

"What?" Killua hissed.

"Fine, I'll add another bonus to this. If you can win, you guys will become Hunters without taking the exam." Netero said.

"Is… Is that okay?" Gon asked and both had wide eyes.

"I am the President. If I say it's okay, then it's okay." Netero said, now spinning the ball on top of his finger.

"That's so irresponsible." Gon and Killua said in union in disbelief.

"Grams… You're impossible…" Nero's eyelid began to twitch, gaping at her grandfather in disbelief.

"_But it's not really irresponsible. These two will never be able to get the ball_." Nero thought, sitting down.

"You guys can attack me any way you want. I won't attack you." Netero said amused.

"Then I'll go first." Killua said, trying to get the ball. But now matter what Killua tried, Netero avoided everything, provoking Killua more and more.

"_Is this guy really a geezer? He's fast_. _I'll have to disable him first_!" Killua thought and kicked Netero's shin without holding back.

Killua grinned at first, then Netero grinned.

"_It even hurt to see that…" _Nero thought grimacing.

Then Killua grabbed his shin and jumped up and down, crying out in pain:

"Ouch! That hurt! Owww…..!"

"That was a nice kick. If you would have kicked a normal person's leg, their leg would have shattered." Netero pointed out amused, now balancing the ball on his head.

"That geezer's leg is like a steel frame." Killua said, still rubbing his leg.

"You should be glad that your leg isn't broken." Nero remarked with a blank expression.

"What's the matter? Finished already?" Netero laughed mockingly.

"_Damn, he's totally making a fool out of me_." Killua thought, gritting his teeth. Then Killua smirked, having an idea. He started walking around Netero and his footsteps became silent all of a sudden, then he disappeared.

"_Becoming silent, then disappearing in the darkness. The 'Technique of the Dark Steps', if I remember correctly. He's really good, but…_ " Nero thought, then Killua attacked from behind. But Netero simply ducked himself.

Killua still tried to get the ball, even grabbing Netero's wrist, but said man simply threw the ball in Killua's face, saying that his face was in the way of the ball.

Now Gon and Killua switched places. Gon attacked from the front, much to everyone's surprise, but then said boy jumped, wanting to attack from above. Unfortunately, the ceiling was rather low, so he hit his head.

Nero stared at him in disbelief, only saying:

"What the hell…?"

"Looks like I can't go easy on you." Netero said amused, dribbling the ball again.

"Now it's getting interesting."

~~~Later~~~

Now both, Gon and Killua tried to catch the ball together, but it was still no use. Both sweated and panted.

Now Gon had an idea. He tried to kick Netero, and increased his attack range by letting his shoe slipping off his foot.

Killua grabbed his legs, and they almost got the ball.

_Or not._

Netero kicked against the wall, pushing himself off it and caught the ball, even if he was at the other end of the room.

They looked at the wall, seeing Netero's footprint.

"I.. give up." Killua suddenly seemed a little odd and ran out of the room.

Nero looked after him, with a questioning face, then turned to Gon and Netero again.

"And what about you? Your partner is gone. Give up?" Netero asked Gon.

"No, I'm still going to try. What about you, Nero?" Gon said then asked Nero if she wanted to join in.

"I'll pass. I've enough of this stupid game. I had to play it more than enough." she answered and held her hands up in a defending position, then added:

"But you have to try harder. That cheating old man there didn't even use his right hand or left leg. I don't think you'll be able to get the ball, even if you try for a year."

Gon's face fell and his jaw almost dropped on the ground, staring at Netero.

EHHHH?

"Oh, no! You noticed. I though I hid it well, though." Netero laughed amused.

"After all, I had to try to get the damn ball for about 3 years." Nero said, and her eyelid began to twitch annoyed, as she thought about it.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Kurapica and Leorio met in front of Menchi's room, being surprised to see each other.

"I thought you went to sleep! Are you worried about that stowaway?" Kurapica asked, somehow teasingly.

"No way! I just wanted to give my opinion to an examiner! They should take the extenuating circumstances into consideration. " Leorio objected.

"I agree."

Leorio now knocked on the door, but didn't get an answer. He opened the door slightly, only to get almost stabbed by a knife, that Menchi threw.

Now Menchi stood in the door, only wearing a towel, and didn't look very happy.

"Trying to sneak a visit to an examiners this late at night!" she yelled furiously and threw the door open.

"No, you misunderstand!" Leorio tried to calm her down, waving his hands in surrender.

"You took a good look at me, and now you're trying to escape?" Menchi still yelled.

"At least I wasn't trying to do what you are thinking. I wouldn't do something so low as sneaking a visit." Kurapica tried to explain himself, and blushed slightly.

"You bastard are trying to get away on your own!" Leorio shouted at him.

"I won't listen to your excuses!" Menchi started to chase them, whirling a knife in her hand.

~~~A little later~~~

"Damn it, my handsome face is ruined." Leorio complained, looking at the window, in his reflection, then turned to Kurapica.

"I don't think it changed that much." Kurapica told him with a straight face. Leorio turned to him and shouted angrily, pointing at him:

"Why didn't anything happen to you!"

Kurapica was quiet for a second, then slowly placed a finger on his chin, thinking, then said, raising an eyebrow:

"Maybe it's because of my appearance?"

"YOU!" But before Leorio could shout more, or Kurapica turned deaf from his shouting, he noticed that Gon was outside, on something like a platform, as well as Nero and Netero.

They ran over to them and Nero noticed them.

"What is going on here?" Kurapica asked her. She wanted to answer, then saw Leorio's face. She was silent for a few seconds, eyeing him with a blank expression, then asked with a monotone voice:

"Were you overrun by a boar, or by Menchi? Not that it would make a difference..."

Before he could answer, they looked over to Gon, who managed to hit Netero on the back of his head with his angle pole.

"Serious now, eh, kid?" Netero asked amused, but then, Gon jumped at him, hitting Netero in the stomach with his head.

Nero grimaced, knowing that it must have hurt.

Gon rubbed his head, then tried to get the ball, again, wanting to hit him with his head, again.

"His head will split..." Nero didn't want to look at it.

Nero knew that, too, and jumped. But Gon couldn't stop and fell over the handrail.

"Gon!"

However, Gon were hanging on his angle pot, preventing himself from falling. He jumped up and kicked Netero, causing him to lose the ball. Gon almost got it, but Netero was faster.

Nero looked at her grandfather in disbelief, then started:

"Err, gramps you-"

"You just used both, your right hand and your left leg, right?" Gon finished and grinned.

"Eh? Err, yeah." Netero answered. Gon cheered in the air, and shouted happily:

"I won!"

"_That wasn't the purpose of the game_…" Netero thought.

Now Killua ran up to him, who saw the whole thing as well. Gon meanwhile started snoring.

"What was he doing?" Leorio asked, looking at a sleeping Gon.

"I don't know, but I can say one thing. Gon is satisfied with what he did." Kurapica said.

"True…"

~~~Later~~~

"Sorry to keep you waiting. We are going to land at our destination soon." the Captain announced. They landed on top of a very high tower, then said goodbye to Netero.

Then Killua gave Anita back one of her earrings, that she had lost, telling her that it was made of Spice Mineral Crystal.

"Once you have tasted it, you become addicted to it." Kurapica explained.

"I heard that there were many people who sold their property to buy the Spice." Leorio added with a solemn face.

"That's a lie!" Anita shouted. Nero held her hand up in mock surrender and joked:

"I think someone has a _little_ bit of a temper here." Then Netero told Anita:

"It's true." Tears filled Anita's eyes, as she said:

"My father was a nice person."

"Your happiness was build upon those peoples misfortune." Killua told her straightforward, then walked away.

"Still, he was important to me!" Anita shouted, crying.

Now Nero had enough. She hissed, with a very dark expression:

"So what? Killua is our friend, so he is important to us, too. And just because he's part of the Zoldyck family, doesn't mean he's the same as them. You should think before acting, or at least blame the person who is responsible, damn it!" then she turned to Netero and said:

I'm going. See you later." He nodded and stroked his beard, then said, teasing her, embarrassing Nero, who face palmed:

"Please take care and tell me everything when you come back~"

…

"Here, Trick Tower, is the location of the third exam. The rule is simple. Get off this tower alive. The time limit is 72 hours." Maamen explained. Nero grinned at her friends, then said:

"Well then, gentleman, I hope you're ready for the next round."

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><p>*dies* Alright, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you're asking about the names (how I spell them)... Since the translations are different, I'm usually looking at Wikipedia, Hunterpedia.<p>

Well, anyway, give my review button a hug, pleeeeaaase~ xD See ya next time. *waves*


	6. Majority Rule? x Third Exam!

Hey everyone. :D YAY, the next chapter is up. :D Please enjoy :D Like always, I apologize for any confusions or mistakes.

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><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I <strong>only<strong> own my OC/'s. Also, I **definitely** **don't** support any violence whatsoever. I just enjoy writing about HxH.

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><p><strong><span>A.N:<span> I had to change the rating to M, because of the violence in this chapter, the language and because Leorio is a pervert xD Sorry 'bout that.**

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><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 6 Majority Rule? x Third Exam!<br>**

They looked for a way to climb down the high tower, but they knew it was no use, since they weren't even any windows.

"For a normal human, it's impossible, but a professional rock climber…can easily climb down this thing." a man said, starting to climb down.

"Hey, you really shouldn't…" Nero tried to prevent him to do it, but he didn't listen.

"_What an idiot." _Nero thought.

Suddenly, they could see three bird-like monsters, which grabbed the man and carried him away.

"The birdbrain got eaten by birds. How ironical." Nero said deadpan.

"I don't see the humour in that!" Leorio shouted at her, but she just turned her head away, ignoring him.

"There should be an entrance to lead down to a lower level. " Kurapica pointed out and Nero looked around. Others had the same idea, looking for the entrance.

"Huh?" Nero plucked on Kurapica's shirt, then said, as he looked at her:

"The candidates…" He looked around.

"The number of people has decreased. Kurapica said.

"24 people? When did this happen?" Leorio asked.

"About half found an entrance and went down to a lower tower." Kurapica added.

"Leorio, Kurapica, Nero!" Gon shouted and pointed at the ground.

They looked at the entrance, but it closed shortly after Leorio lifted the stone slab.

"Looks like there is an auto-lock." Kurapica pointed out.

"Damn it, only one person can get through, and it can only be used once?" Leorio asked annoyed.

"And we should assume that each of these entrances leads to a different place." Kurapica said, thinking..

"Is it time to calmly analyse the situation? We don't even know if there are enough entrances for everyone." Leorio told him annoyed.

"There are. I found six of them." Gon said. Nero thought for a second, then said, leaning her head to the side:

"I don't think the problem is to get _in_ the tower, but get _out_ of it. Or at least down."

After a while, they found 6 entrances next to each other.

"A few of them might be traps."

"Even if you get caught in a trap, no grudges." Killua said.

"No grudges!" Gon repeated, grinning.

"Let's pick the order of selecting the entrances." Kurapica suggested.

"Rock, paper, scissor!"

"Let's go together on three." Gon suggeated.

"It's good bye for now." Kurapica said.

"Let's get over with it." Nero sighed.

"Let's meet again on the ground." Leorio said.

"Yeah." Killua simply said.

"Okay, then let's go." Gon said.

"One, two, THREE!"

They opened the entrances and fell down.

Nero landed and it was dark inside the room. When the lights went on. They saw each other, again. Gon and Killua grinned at each other, and Kurapica said:

"That was a short good bye."

"Too bad. I though I wouldn't have to see your faces for a while:" Nero joked deadpan.

"What, you!" Leorio started, but she turned around and stuck her tongue out, then said:

"Just kidding. I was hoping it was only a short good bye."

Because the room didn't had any exit, they looked around, finding six watch-like timers.

"A timer. It has an 'X' and an 'O' button." Killua pointed out.

"Does that mean, until the last person comes here, we can't get outta here?" Leorio asked, putting on the timer.

"You guys got the path of the majority rule. It's a hard course where everyone's absolute cooperation is needed." a voice said over some loudspeaker.

Kurapica looked at the timer, then said:

"71 hours and 18 minutes left. I guess we have to wait."

Nero let out a distressed sigh, then slid down the wall. Kurapica sat down next to her, and Gon and Killua sat down, too. Only Leorio began to walk around in the room impatiently, almost like Scrooge McDuck when he's thinking.

"Something is bothering me." Nero suddenly said, after minutes of silence.

"What do you mean?" Kurapica asked her.

"Well, this thing is called majority rule, right? But if there are six people, then it doesn't necessarily mean that there will be a 'majority'."

"You're right. If three people deciding on one thing and the other three at the other…" Kurapica agreed, placing a hand on his chin.

"Then we will jut have to stick together!" Gon said, smiling.

"Yeah.." Nero said, smiling wryly.

"Or we just kill the next person.." Killua suggested.

"I don't really care." Nero said deadpan, but the others didn't notice the joke.

After more minutes of silence, Kurapica suddenly asked Nero:

"You said that you already are a Hunter. So, is it really okay to help us?"

"If I say it's alright, then it is alright. Also, I'm not really helping you. I'm only giving you hints."

"Ah, Nero, what kind of Hunter are you?" Gon asked.

"I don't really have 'a type', because I'm usually helping my gramps with all sorts of stuff. But the jobs I'm doing, usually involve collecting information's, or hunting down criminals, as well as observing them. So I guess you can call me either, an Information or a Blacklist Hunter."

"I see, but why both?" Gon asked.

"It's pretty troublesome as a Backlist Hunter to catch a criminal if you don't have enough information's. But trusting someone is also not always the best idea, so I thought being both will help me."

"You said something about trying to become a Hunter with 11..." Kurapica started, but Nero already answered:

"Gramps had annoyed me, so I tried to sneak in. However. after the third exam, I got caught. Wasn't easy to get permission to take the exam again."

"I see. Well, then. I hope, if I can become a Blacklist Hunter, that you could help me from time to tome." Kurapica said, smiling at her. She looked at him with wide eyes, then answered, feeling strangely nervous:

"Sure."

Suddenly, Gon hit his fist in his palm, and said, as if he had finally seen the daylight:

"Information Hunter!"

"Huh…?"

"Do you know anything about my father?"

"I remember hearing lots of stuff about him. But how sounds that: After you became a Hunter, I'll look together with you for detailed information's about him." Nero suggested.

"Really? Thank you so much, Nero!" Gon said, grinning brightly.

"No problem." But the moment was interrupted when Leorio said, being really irritated after more than two hours of waiting:

"Anyone who Is still left on the top must be really stupid."

But then, they heard a sound and the last member for the small group arrived.

"Looks like the idiot is here." Killua remarked. Then the person landed in front of them and it was no other than Tompa.

"Great. The last member is here and I already want to kill him." Nero said stressed out.

"I know how you feel." Killua responded.

"Looks like everyone is here." Tompa said.

Then a door opened, and they had to decide if they wanted to move on, or not.

"Who the hell pressed the 'X' button?" Leorio asked annoyed.

"Sorry~ I accidentally pushed it." Tompa apologized in a fake way, rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't fool around! How can you press it by accident!" Leorio shouted.

"Please stop this." Gon said.

"We've already waisted two hours. We are waiting time arguing" Kurapica said.

"Yeah. Even if he goes against all the votes, all we have to do is vote the same." Killua told him.

"Or we kill him." Nero shrugged, and Killua smirked, making him flinch.

"Damn it, I got it." Leorio said.

They passed through the door and a few meters later, the had to vote, again, having to decide if they wanted o go left, or right.

Four of them pressed 'O', for taking the right way, two of them 'X', for taking the left way.

"Right? Shouldn't you pick left in this case?" Leorio asked. Kurapica didn't want to start arguing, so he simply pushed him.

"From a behavioural science point of view, is people get lost or are on an unknown route, they tend to go left most of the time." Kurapica explained.

"I've heard the same thing, too." Killua agreed.

"Hey, wait. The numbers don't add up correctly. Which one did you guys press?" Leorio asked. Kurapica, Killua, Nero and Topma had picked the right path, while Leorio and Gon picked the left.

"And examiner should know that rule and make the left path more difficult." Nero said.

"Alright, we're simple-minded, right, Gon?"

"_So I'm the same level as Leorio_…." Gon thought, slightly shocked.

After a few minutes of walking, the hallway ended and they came in a room, with a platform in the middle.

"Look over there." Killua said and looked at the other side of the room.

"We were hired to test you candidates. Here, you will have to fight us." one of the 6 people at the other side said.

"That person looks strong." Gon said, eyeing the muscled man, anmed Bendotto.

"That's why I wanted to go left." Leorio complained.

"The left path might have been more difficult." Kurapica pointed out.

"The matches are one on one. A person can only fight once. The order doesn't matter. How you fight doesn't matter and there are no draws. Vote to accept this match or not."

"To pass, we have to fight. So of course we accept it. Unless _someone_ screws it up." Leorio said, referring to Tompa.

"Fine, I know." Tompa said, lowering his head. Then everyone voted and they accepted the match.

"I'll be the first one to go. Who's going to go first on your side?" Bendotto asked.

"Then I'll go!" Gon said, but Kurapica objected:

"No, I'll go. From his looks, he's the type that will attack with strength. If you fight him directly, you're going to be at disadvantage, Gon. "

"Wait, if Gon is at disadvantage, the you shouldn't fight him, either!" Leorio objected.

"Then are you going, Leorio?" Kurapica asked, raising an eyebrow. Leorio looked over to the muscled man, who now cracked his knuckles.

"_Oh my, he has a lot of muscles…" _Leorio thought in awe.

"If you're afraid, I'll go." Killua said bored.

"I don't mind going, either." Nero said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"No, I'll go." Tompa said firmly.

"A petty criminal like you can't beat him!" Leorio yelled angrily.

"You guys still don't believe me completely, so-" Tompa started , but was interrupted:

"I don't believe you at all." Nero hissed.

"Yeah, not even close to completely." Leorio agreed with her.

"A situation might come up where the score becomes to wins and two losses. Would you let a person you don't trust fight?" Tompa asked, trying to convince them.

"What the old man says is true, in a way." Killua smirked, making Tompa uncomfortable.

"Then it's settled." Tompa said, sweating nervously.

"So, how do we fight? I suggest a death match. We fight until one dies or gives up." Bendotto suggested.

"That's bad. That's the worst method." Leorio said in shock.

"But Tompa looked confident. He must have a plan." Gon told them.

"We'll just have to watch." Nero said calmly.

After hesitating, for more than five minutes, Tompa accepted the death match, much to everyone's shock. Bendotto, and Tompa was determined…

To give up.

Tompa surrendered, and everyone gaped at him in disbelief. Their faces fell and they just didn't know what to say. Tompa returned to the others, who were more than mad. Leorio grabbed him by his collar, wanting to beat him up.

"You bastard! What the hell was that!"

However, after that, Gon wanted to go up next, fighting against a man named Sedokan.

"So, how are we gonna fight? You guys said it doesn't matter." Gon asked. They decided to use candles to determine the winner. Then Gon had to pick out a candle. One was shorter than the other.

"There must be some trick in the long one!" Leorio pointed out.

"Normally, you would think that. But he may have outwitted us by putting a trick into the short one."

"But if we think like that…" Nero started.

"… then it's endless." Kurapica finished.

"In that case, it's good that Gon is the one fighting." Nero pointed out.

"What are you talking about? This is really bad!" Leorio yelled, slightly panicked.

"Maybe we should just rely on his instincts." Nero suggested, shrugging.

"She's right. Gon, you choose! Rather than thinking about, I believe in your natural instincts." Kurapica told Gon..

"I agree." Killua agreed.

"Okay, then I choose the long one. Because the long one will burn longer!" Gon said, cheerful as always.

"…"

"That's is natural instinct?" Leorio asked in disbelief.

"Forget what I said before. " Nero face palmed.

Then they lightened the candles, thinking that the match would at least go on about 5 to 6 hours. But suddenly, Gon's candle started to burn down very fast.

"At this rate this match will be over in two or three minutes!" Leorio shouted.

However, thanks to Gon, who simply blew out Sadokan's candle, they won the match.

"Yes! We have one win! Now, Kurapica and I win and we can get outta her!" Leorio said excitedly.

"Don't forget that we are here." Killua and Nero said in union, narrowing their eyes at Leorio.

"I'm up next." Kurapica said, and his opponent showed himself.

"H-He's really a macho.." that was everything Leorio could say, seeing the man named Majitani.

"He looks like Frankenstein…" Nero remarked deadpan.

"I've killed 19 people so far, but the number is odd, so I was getting a little irritated." Majitani said.

"This time it's a serial killer?" Leorio asked annoyed.

" I can't get excided unless we have a death match. " he said.

"Choose the method of this fight. I will go along with that." Kurapica told his opponent calmly.

"You've got a lot of nerve. Then let's have a death match until someone gives up or dies. But even if you give up, I'll still attack you." he said tauntingly.

"Okay, that's fine." Kurapica simply said.

"Will Kurapica be okay? That guy looks dangerous!" Leorio asked nervously.

"_That guy's just a bluffer._" Nero thought, leaning against the wall. Now Frankenstein attacked, cracking the floor slightly because Kurapica jumped back, avoiding his punch. Then they saw it. He had a spider tattoo.

"That tattoo! It's the proof that he's a member of the Genei Ryodan!" Leorio pointed out, being stunned.

"Aren't they the ones that killed Kurapica's comrades?" Gon asked.

"Yeah, that's right!"

"Something's odd." Nero said calmly.

Kurapica meanwhile, was just quiet, not saying anything, and didn't move either.

"Kurapica is mad!" Gon suddenly said. Then Kurapica stood up, his eyes were scarlet and he slowly walking over to his opponent, who seemed to panic.

Kurapica grabbed him, then punched him, smashing him in the ground and knocked his opponent out.

"3... advises. 1: On the real sign, the member 's number is written in the centre of the spider. 2: They've already killed so many people that it would be impossible to count the number. 3: Don't ever usurp the name of the Genei Ryodan again, because next time, I'll kill you without hesitation." Kurapica told Majitani calmly.

"Are you okay?" Leorio asked cautiously.

"Yes, I've had enough." Kurapica answered.

"No, I mean is it safe to be near you?" Leorio asked, still wary.

*SMACK*

"Ouch! What was that for?" Leorio shouted at Nero, who had hit him on the back of his had.

"Because you're an idiot." she rolled her eyes annoyed.

"I knew from the beginning that he wasn't a tough opponent." Kurapica now said, and his eyes were back to normal.

"Really? Normally people would be afraid because of his looks!" Leorio said in disbelief.

"No, I didn't feel any chills when I saw him." Gon retorted.

"Yep, he was just a bluffer." Nero said, raising an eyebrow.

"You could tell from the start." Killua said, slightly annoyed.

"I also knew that his tattoo was an imitation. But after seeing that spider, I've seen everything in red. In fact, I get angered even if I see a normal spider and my personality changes." Kurapica explained, sitting down, then added, as Leorio's and Gon's face's turned blue in shock:

"This certainly means that my hatred hasn't faded yet. I should be delighted."

"Err, we're not going to show him any more spiders, are we?" Gon asked.

"Nope...Anyway, now I'm going to finish this." Leorio said, cracking his knuckles.

"That is impossible. He has only fainted and we didn't hear him say that he gave up. So this match isn't over yet." Bendotto said.

"Kurapica, hurry up and end this." Leorio commanded.

"No. I already punched someone that had already lost the will to fight. I refuse to do more damage to the loser." Kurapica refused calmly.

"Then what are you going to do?"

"He can decide. If he wakes up, the answer should come up. Don't count on me on doing anything more." Kurapica said, and Killua walked over to him, saying:

"Hey, want me to kill him? You've never killed anyone, right? You're scared?" Kurapica looked at him for a second, then answered:

"I never asked myself is killing someone would scare me or not. Moreover, it's a fight between him and me. I don't need your help."

"I see. But I remind you, you're not alone here! It's not the time to be egoistic!" Killua said, and Nero thought:

"_He's scolding him like an old woman…"_

"Right! Think a little of others!" Leorio said angrily.

"Sorry, but I don't want to change my opinion" Kurapica retorted calmly, but was obviously irritated.

"Nero, say something!" Leorio yelled. She looed at him with a blank expression, yet shot him a glare that said 'are you stupid?', then looked over to their opponents, resting her hands on her hips.

"… I respect his decision. I wouldn't hurt someone who's unconscious, either." she answered with a serious face.

"But-."

"However, if he could fight back, I would probably share your opinion." she added.

~~~Later~~~

They had to wait for Majitani to wake up, but he wouldn't.

"It's been a few hours already! Is he dead?" Leorio was impatient.

"Would you like to make a bet? Let's bet if Majitani is dead or alive." Leorio's opponent, named Leluto, suggested.

"Bet what?" Leorio asked, yelling.

"Time. Use the time as chips and bet."

"Think carefully. If we lose, our time limit to get out of this tower will be reduced to 9 hours." Kurapica told him.

"Why are you telling me this? This is all your fault! If you want to complain, give him the final blow." Leorio said, being pissed off.

"I don't intend to do anything about it." Kurapica responded.

"You stubborn little…!"

"I got it. I won't say anything, then." Kurapica now said, being angry, too. They shot each other a glare, but Nero interfered.

"We don't have time for you two squabblers!"

However, Leorio accepted the bet, betting 10 hours that Majitani was alive, which was right.

"This is bad." Kurapica said tensed up.

"What? But Leorio won the bet." Gon said.

"Yeah, it's more interesting for them that he's alive, lying on the ground." Killua agreed.

"If he's lying down for the rest of the time, their sentences will be reduced by 72 years, without doing anything." Nero added.

"Maybe it's game over for you guys?" Tompa asked amused, pissing both, Nero and Killua off.

"Zip it, or do you want me to rip out that precious little chatterbox of yours?" Nero asked icily, shooting him a death glare.

However, Leorio betted next, if he was really unconscious or not. He carried Majitani over to the end of the platform, wanting to let him fall down.

"If he has only fainted, he will die because of the fall. If that's the case, we'll recognize our defeat during Kurapica's match and you will have two victories." Leorio told her.

"Okay, but I change the bet. I bet that he will wake up." Leluto said and Majitani really 'woke up'.

"Forget it, I give up! It's much safer in prison, anyway!" Majitani said, running away from the ring.

"So, what are you betting on now?" Leorio asked Leluto.

"On my gender. Male or female?"

"…I'm okay with this, but how are you going to proof this to me?" Leorio asked, listening _very_ carefully.

"With my body. You're free to look at my body as long as you like." she said.

"He's going to bet on 'male." Kurapica pointed out.

"Yep." Killua agreed and Nero nodded, raising an eyebrow.

"Huh? Why?" Gon asked.

"Okay, I'm bet 10 hours on 'male!" Leorio said. The others face's fell.

"There we are." Kurapica said annoyed.

"That perverted old man." Killua said, being annoyed, too.

"He's the enemy of all woman." Nero face palmed irritated.

"_Even if I screw up, I'll still be able to do a little 'exam'. Let's be frank: I don't want to lose!" _Leorio thought, having a very matching expression to his thoughts.

"There you have it." Killua said to Gon.

"I-I see…" Gon seemed shocked.

"Answer!" Leorio claimed excitedly.

"Sorry, but I'm a woman." Leluto said.

"What? Damn it!" He shouted, but looked _very_ happy. The other's just gaped at him in disbelief.

"He doesn't look upset.." Kurapica said, with a slightly disgusted expression.

"At least try and look disappointed, damn it!" Nero yelled angrily.

"Now, wanna check?" Leluto asked.

"O-Of course…" he said, already stretching his arm out.

"What's going on?" Gon asked with wide eyes. Tompa covered Gon's eyes, while Nero covered Killua's, much to his dismay.

***Thank you for waiting a short moment!***

Leorio looked as if he was in seventh heaven, while the others were just disgusted.

After that, they decided to play 'Rock, Paper, Scissor', but Leorio lost the game, and the rest of their remaining hours.

"We only have 9 hours left now." Kurapica pointed out. Now Leorio returned to them. He looked at Nero and Killua, and his face fell in shock.

"What the hell are you making that face for?" Nero asked irritated.

"Damn! I'm sorry Gon, Kurapica! I should have won, so that we'd be able to go on!" Leorio said, pissing Killua and Nero off more.

"Gon, he's seriously starting to irritated me!" Killua said, wanting to smack him.

"Whatever." Nero's eyelid began to twitch annoyed, then reached the ring.

Her opponent stepped in the ring, too. He had bandages all over his body, only revealing his icy blue, emotionless eyes.

Nero eyed him, leaning her head to the side, not nervous at all. Her friends meanwhile, besides Killua, tensed up.

"Is that…? No way!" Kurapica said, slightly shocked.

"Nero, come back! You don't have to fight against him!" Leorio said.

The bandaged man just smirked sadistically, then asked, with a husky, haunting voice:

"Do you know who I am, my lady?" She still eyed him and made a questioning face. While ignoring her friends, who still told her to come back, she suddenly said, having a serious face:

"Yeah, I remember. You're _Chucky_ the Ripper."

"…"

Everyone, including her opponent, gaped at her in disbelief.

"Nero, that is-" Kurapica started, but she already began thinking it over, then said, being serious and completely sure that she was right:

"No, wait. You are Jack the _Stripper_."

"..."

"No, that wasn't it, either... Mr. Mummy?"

"Damn you! I am the Jigsaw!" her opponent shouted angrily. But Nero ignored him, not listening at all, then said:

"Ah, you're the Jigsaw, right?"

"I JUST SAID THAT!"

"You did?" she asked surprised and with wide eyes.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Oh.. I'm sorry… I'm never listening to something uninteresting." she said lamely.

"Is she really an Information Hunter?" Leorio asked, being kinda speechless. Then Nero's face turned from relaxed into solemn, then she said calmly:

"Of what we know, you are the murderer of 68 woman in total. All of them were about 14 to 25 years old and known for their beauty. You tortured those woman in a very cruel way, dismembering them with a saw until their dying breath."

"That's right. And you will add to my list, my beautiful lady." he now said very calmly, sounding somehow icily charming.

"Then I suggest we have death match, correct?" Nero asked, with a very serious face.

"Yes, you won't be able to escape. You will be another beautiful trophy in my collection." he responded, sounding emotionless, yet one could hear his cruelty. But Nero simply jumped forward, landed on one of her hands, doing a handstand

and it seemed that she simply moved one of her legs very fast from the bottom up.

She pushed herself up from the ground, flipped in the air and landed on her feet, leaving the ring without looking back.

The Jigsaw didn't move anymore and suddenly, blood poured out of his mouth and he fell on the ground.

All of her friends were shocked, gaping at her and trying to figure out what just had happened.

"He's.. dead? What just happened?" Leorio asked shocked.

"What kind of technique was that" Kurapica asked, being shocked, too. Killua smirked, then said amused:

"She must have kicked him about 15 times. Not bad."

"She _kicked_ him? Really?" Leorio asked and his face fell.

"She did, although I can't tell how often..." Kurapica said.

Then Nero came back and sat down, not looking as if she was in a good mood. Tompa started to sweat nervously, thinking about the time when she had almost kicked him.

"I'll never piss her off again..." Leorio laughed nervously.

"Are you alright?" Kurapica asked her. She looked at him, and seemed angry, yet somehow disappointed.

"Yeah… somehow. I don't like killing someone, but I lost it. Talking about peoples life like he did is.." she answered, but then was silent. He smiled slightly and placed a hand on her shoulder, wanting to cheer her up.

Nero noticed that she felt better, wondering why she changed her mood so fast.

"But anyway, we have 3 victories now, right? We can move on now." Kurapica said to the others.

"True, but we lost 50 hours…" Nero grimaced.

"Well, but I'm up next." Killua said, smirking.

"You don't have to fight. We won already." Leorio told him.

"Let him. We lost the hours, anyway." Nero said and stood up again, nodding at Killua.

Then Killua's opponent entered the ring, being no other than Johness, the Dissector.

"Killua, give up this match. Don't fight him! He's Zaban City's worst mass murderer!" Leorio said, looking very nervous.

"And? How many did he kill?" Killua simply asked, not being faced at all.

"Just from what we know, he killed about 146 people. Those people were all cruelly torn apart and were found dismembered into more than 50 parts." Leorio explained.

"Moreover, he does all this with his bare hands. His ability is to quickly tear his opponents flesh with bare hands." Nero explained.

"There's no need for you to fight such a psycho murderer!" Leorio told Killua, but Killua stood already in the ring.

"Let him go. This match will be over as fast as mine was." Nero said shrugging.

"Are you stupid? He will die!" Leorio shouted at her. She sighed and rubbed her ear, which Leorio had shouted in, in a unenthusiastic way.

"Juts watch and see." she tried to calm him down.

"It's finally starting to get interesting. This game, that is." Killua smirked and now stood in front of his opponent.

"And? How are we going to fight?" Killua asked, sounding kinda bored.

"Fight? Don't get it wrong. There will only be a one-sided massacre." Johness answered.

"You think it's better to die than to lose, right?" Killua asked, placing his hands in this trouser pockets.

"Yes. You're going to-" Johness started, reaching his hand out, but Killua already stood behind him. They looked at Killua, who held Johness heart in his hand, then crushed it, smirking evilly.

Everyone, beside Nero, looked shocked.

"Told you so." Nero simply said.

"We completed this stage, right?" Killua asked Bendotto.

"Ah, err… yeah, you guys win." he answered nervously.

"By the way, old man, you must be frustrated for not having fought. Don't you wanna play with me?" Killua asked, still smirking. Bendotto gulped, then said, sweating nervously:

"…I renounce…"

"_They are monsters.." _he though in awe, looking at Killua, Nero and the others. Then Nero said, looking at Killua:

"Well, he is from an elite assassin family, after all."

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><p>*dies xD* Alright, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Just wanted to say something about the names, again. I found three translations for Johness name, so I just picked the one from Hunterpedia.<p>

And about Nero's opponent.. I first wanted to name him Chipmunk Plushie xD (I had a nightmare about that lol) but then I saw the horror movie that was on TV.. well, so I picked that name xD

Anyway, hope to see ya next time *waves* :D


	7. Heartbeat? x Six People? x Last Choice!

Hey everyone! Sorry that the next chapter is up so late :( I had some tests at school (-.-). Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I apologize for any mistakes or confusions.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I <span>only<span> own my OC/'s. Also, I definitely don't support any violence whatsoever. I just enjoy writing about HxH.**

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><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 7 Heartbeat? x Six People? x Last Choice!<br>**

"After 50 hours, the door will open again and you can move on." Lippo, their examiner for the third exam told them over some loudspeakers in the room, where they had to wait for 50 hours.

"50 hours? I'm sorry." Leorio apologized, as he sat on the sofa.

"Don't worry about it. All we have to do is to get to the bottom floor within the remaining time." Kurapica said, putting his bag down, then asked Killua:

"Killua, what kind of technique did you use?"

"I can't really say it's a technique. I've only taken his heart. But I did a small modification to make the hold easier." Killua answered, and adjusted his fingernails into claws., making everyone look surprised.

"What a reliable guy." Leorio said, stunned.

"Awesome!" Gon grinned and had sparkly eyes.

"_Yes… good thing he's on our side_…" Kurapica thought.

"And you, Nero?" Kurapica asked her, looking at her. She said nothing for a few seconds, thinking if she should tell them about that technique or not, then decided to answer at least most of it.

"That technique is called 'Blood Step'. I came up with that it after seeing someone using acupuncture. I injure my targets inside. I can crush, of course, the bones, but also, the organs, the blood vessels and even the nerves. In Jigsaw's case, I crushed his lungs, his heart and his carotid artery and also a few of his bones."

"She's hot… but why are hot girls always so scary…?…" Leorio said, gulping.

"… Should I show you how scary I can be ?" Nero suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"N-No, thanks!"

"I think that's amazing!" Gon said, having wide eyes and Kurapica simply nodded, not knowing what else to say, but thought:

"_It's a good thing that _both _are on our side."_

~~~Later~~~

Nero and Kurapica took a nap, and had to keep their cool because Tompa started snoring, Gon won against Leorio over and over, playing Rock, Paper Scissors, and Killua played a game.

After a few more hours, Killua and Gon were playing the same game, Tompa still slept and snored, while Leorio wanted to strangle him for it and Nero and Kurapica drank tea, while talking with each other.

And surprisingly, or not, even if both of them were usually more of the 'quiet type', they found it very easy to talk to each other. They shared many interests, liked the same books, authors, and more.

"May I ask were come from?" Kurapica asked her now and she said, as her elbow rested on the table and her head in her hand:

"I'm from Sunleth Waterscape." she answered. He looked at her, then said, after hesitating for a few seconds:

"I'm sorry. It was insensitive to ask." but she stopped him with a wave of her hand, then said:

"Why? You couldn't know that."

"I don't understand their conversation anymore." Killua said bored.

"I couldn't understand them to begin with." Leorio added.

"Seriously…" Kurapica shook his head in disbelief.

"What he means is… I'm a war child. 15 years ago a war took place in Sunleth Waterscape. The city Rain Vale was almost completely destroyed and the war ended 12 years ago. However, my parents were killed, and gramps adpoted me."

"I'm sorry." he apologized again, and Nero sighed.

"Geez, stop apologizing. Anyway, did you hear about Sunleth Waterscape's secrets?"

"Yeah, it has many hidden secrets. And if I remember correctly, that is reason the war even took place in the first place." Kurapica answered, placing a hand on his chin, thinking.

They were so deep in their conversation, that they didn't even notice Killua's and Leorio's stupid grins, which they had while observing the two of them…

~~~After the 50 hours had passed~~~

"Damn it, when are we going to reach the exit!" Leorio asked annoyed. As they still ran around.

"Do you remember how many floors we came down?" Killua asked.

"Too many." Nero remarked.

"Let's hope _that_ we are going down. We could be tricked and go up instead." Tompa said, and Nero refused to listen to him.

"We should hurry. We only have one hour left!" Nero said and speeded up.

A little later, they came to another door, having to decide if they wanted to open it or not. Like the other times they voted, it was 5 votes against one, again.

"Cut it out already…." Leorio said angrily, gritting his teeth, then grabbed Tompa by his collar.

"We're really sick of you pestering us!" Leorio yelled at him.

"Wait a second. I pressed 'O' to enter." Tompa objected.

"Stop lying" You are the only one who would vote against us!" Leorio yelled, but Gon interfered:

"No. I pressed the wrong button by mistake. I'm sorry Leorio." Leorio looked at him, then let go of Tompa, saying:

"I see."

"Wait. You need to apologize to me." Tompa told him.

"I said that because you did the opposite of what you should do since the beginning. So I have absolutely no intention to apologize." Leorio answered.

"You don't have the right to say that to me. Because of you, we lost 50 hours." Tompa said with a spiteful grin.

"Enough!" Kurapica tried to stop them, but they wouldn't listen to him at all.

"Angry people need a hug… or sharp objects…" Nero remarked sarcastically, while leaning relaxed against a wall.

Meanwhile Leorio and Tompa got ready to fight each other, but the others interfered. Gon jumped between them, saying:

"Stop this! Let's only think of going ahead!"

"Gon's right." Killua agreed, then added, while he and Nero already walked inside the next room where a lot of weapons could be found.

"The exit is not far away."Suddenly Lippo said over the loudspeakers inside the room:

"There are two doors to choose from. 1: All six of you can go, but it is a longer and harder pat, or 2: only three of you can go, but it is a shorter and easier way. Choose 'O' for the longer path and 'X' for the shorter one. The shorter one will open once thee

people are chained to the wall. Oh and also, the longer path will take 45 hours to reach the goal, while the shorter one only takes three minutes."

All of them were quiet for a second, but then Leorio said:

"I'm going to press 'X', without having any intention to stay here. I'll be one of the three that goes on. The examiners even prepared weapons for us."

They looked at him, but then Gon said, looking directly at him:

"I'm going to press 'O'. Since we all made it this far together, I want to finish this with the six of us."

"Hey, we have less than one hour left! We have no other choice but to choose the short way. The only question is who's gonna pass. I have no intention of quitting this game, so if nobody wants to give up… I'll have to fight. "Killua said.

"But, Killua-"

"Wait. This might be a trap. A shorter path just sounds fishy." Tompa suddenly said.

"I know what you're thinking. If we choose 'X', then you'll be one of the two that will be left behind." Leorio said, eyeing him suspiciously and Tompa twitched.

"The who is the other one? It's true that if we fight, I have no chance of winning, but who will be the other one? Gon? Kurapica? Killua? Nero? Gon, Kurapica and Nero are friends and you met them before the exam, so will Killua be the one that will be left

behind? But… can you do that?" Tompa asked Leorio provoking, Leorio snapped and grabbed him by his collar once again, then said:

"You sure don't learn!"

"Wait! I want to pass this with everyone, so we can't leave out just one person!" Gon interfered, tyring to calm them down.

"Are you still saying that? What other choice do we have?" Killua objected.

"Then let's think about a way!" Gon shouted.

"Che! Kurapica, Nero, what about you?" Leorio asked the two annoyed, who kept mostly quiet until now.

"I'm picking 'O'. Like Gon said, there might be another way." Kurapica answered, thinking of a solution.

"I agree. And I've already pushed 'O', so it's no use arguing with me, anyway. And I want to pass with all four of my friends." Nero said shrugging.

"_There must be a third way… And I don't really care if I'm staying here… well gramps would be more than mad, but… I want these four to pass."_

"Hey, what about me?" Tompa asked irritated. Nero looked at him, then turned her head away, again, letting out a 'Che'.

"Like I said before, I'm ignoring things I'm not interested in."

Then, Tompa suddenly said, chaining himself down on the wall:

"I'm out. I'm going to press 'X'."

"Hey, what are you going to pull! What's the catch?" Leorio asked Tompa annoyed.

"It's just a simple calculation of pro and cons. Because of the remaining time left, we can't choose 'O', but if we're picking 'X', then I have no chance of winning. In other words, this exam is over for me." Tompa answered.

"_Of course we'll believe you… What a fool." _Nero thought sarcastically, rolling her eyes, as she looked at Tompa's chains

"What should we do, Gon, Nero?" Kurapica asked.

"There is always a third way. We just haven't thought of one yet." Nero said annoyed, still thinking.

Meanwhile Leorio looked at the timer and said:

"Only 45 minutes left. We have to pick 'X'!"

"No! There must be another way!" Gon objected.

Then Leorio and Gon started arguing, but Kurapica shouted, stopping them:

"Cut it out, you two! The time is running out while you are doing that! Also, this is the Majority Path. Once it's decided, we have to follow that rule. If I have to fight, then I will fight. BUT… It's useless to try to make us kill each other and use that to your

advantage. In other words, your plan to profit while others are fighting isn't going to work. At least, I will not let it pass by!" Then he shot Tompa a glare, making him flinch.

"What are you talking about?" Leorio asked and Killua snickered.

"Someone was bound to discover that fake play of yours, old man."

"You should really put your handcuffs on." Nero said way too calmly and shot him a glare.

"You pretended to put on the handcuffs, wanted to make us fight and then attack the ones that get injured from the fight." Kurapica explained. Tompa snapped and grabbed and axe, being busted, then attacked Leorio, who drew his Tanto.

Tompa smashed a bit of the ground, missing Leorio, who jumped out of the way.

"Stop this! We don't have the time for this!" Kurapica yelled. Meanwhile Gon looked at the smashed floor, and had an idea.

"TIME OUT!" Gon shouted, as he jumped between Leorio and Tompa.

"Out of the way!" Tompa yelled at him, but Gon said:

"Everyone wants to pass, so let's all pass together."

"Shut up! I've hand enough of your childish reasoning!" Tompa said, being pissed off.

"I've figured out how the six of us can pass." Gon said, ignoring his shouting. Tompa laughed and wanted to strike with his axe, but Nero already hissed, with a dark expression:

"If you try to hit someone unarmed, I'll have to hurt you. You advise you should listen to him. He gritted his teeth, but flinched, then Gon told him, with straightforward, honest eyes:

"If you want to pass, believe me."

Tompa calmed down and all of them pressed the 'O' button, picking the long way.

"We have left then 40 minutes left." Kurapica pointed out, looking at the timer.

"What are we gonna do?" Leorio asked, while Gon picked up another axe.

"Use this!"

"I see!" Kurapica said, getting what he meant. Nero helped Gon, who was meanwhile tried to break the wall to the shorter way with the axe.

"If there is no way, we'll make one." Kurapica said, smiling confidently.

After a while they broke through the wall, but the time was about to run out, having less than 3 minutes left.

"The guy said we need 3 minutes for the short path." Killua pointed out.

"If we hurry, we might make it!" Kurapica said. Nero placed her hand on her chin, thinking, then her eyes met Killua's skateboard and both, Nero and Gon shouted in union, while pointing at the skateboard:

"Killua, that's it!"

Nero took a wooden board, where some weapons were hanging at, then placed it on the skateboard. After that Gon tied the wooden board down on it.

Gon sat in the front, being the one who had to navigate their self-built vehicle, having Kurapica to his right and Killua to his left. Nero tried to balance out the middle, and Leorio and Tompa sat in the back, not really happy with the situation.

"Awesome! How did ya think of it?" Killua asked them.

"The path is going downhill, so I though that this might get us to the goal in time." Gon answered and Nero remarked jokingly:

"And I just didn't want to walk.""Maintaining the balance is hard." Kurapica said, as Gon shouted:

"Left!" They tried to balance the bora, and leaned to the left.

"How do you know the way?" Killua asked Gon.

"The forest on Whale Island at night is much darker." Gon answered, while Leorio and Tompa just wanted to cry.

"I think I'm feeling sick." Nero sighed.

"Don't throw up on us!" Killua said, disgusted.

"I mean seeing this picture of misery behind me." Nero snorted annoyed, jerking her thumb over her shoulder, pointing at Leorio and Tompa.

"Remaining time: 30 seconds!" Kurapica told them. However, a few seconds later, they could see the end of the long floor and reached the goal right before the time ran out.

The slid in a stop and Leorio and Tompa started laughing like mad scientists.

"They've lost it…" Kurapica sighed and Nero agreed, nodding while staring at them with a blank face.

"Idiots…"

Then the gate opened and they could finally step in the open, again.

Gon stretched himself and Kurapica said, while Leorio just sat on the ground, having the same expression as before and Nero waved her hand in front of his face, having a bored expression:

"Really, that was a one in a million chance bet. My hands are covered in blisters."

"Yeah, it was really close!" Gon agreed, grinning.

"But how did you notice?" Kurapica asked.

"I thought of it when I was watching Tompa break the floor." Gon answered, then Killua walked over to Gon, pointing at his skateboard, then said:

"The wheels are all bumpy now because of that. What are you going to do about that?"

"Sorry, Killua." Gon apologized rubbing his head.

"No~ I'm not going to forgive you." Killua told him, but it sounded as if he was amused.

"What the…? Oi, Dr. Dolittle? Geez, you can't just stop thinking and never start again." Nero grimaced annoyed, as she tried to call Leorio back to reality.

"Hello? Anybody home?… Che!"

*SMACK*

"Ouch! Damn you little…!" Leorio yelled irritated, rubbing his head.

"Welcome back in insanity." she said sarcastically and walked over to Kurapica, who watched Gon and Killua.

"His mind focused on that extreme situation and he was faced with a two choice decision, yet he broke through that, and was able to come up with an idea to deal with the situation. Gon is really amazing."

"I agree. Even though I am already a Hunter, I couldn't think of that. I would have smashed the door at some point, tho'." Nero agreed, and crossed her arms in front of her chest, grinning slightly. He laughed briefly, then said:

"But we would have gotten disqualified for that, right?"

"Oh… yeah… I knew their must be a catch." she joked deadpan, then shrugged. He chuckled slightly and smiled at her.

*Thump*

Huh…?" Nero looked questioning at herself, placing a hand on her chin, being in thought.

"_What the hell…? My heartbeat… Maybe lack of sleep?" _she thought, but then snapped out of her thoughts, as they saw Lippo.

"Gentleman-" Lippo started, but raised an eyebrow, and Lippo corrected himself, seeing her annoyed expression:

"_Lady's_ and Gentleman… Congratulations on escaping the Trick Tower. I am a Backlist Hunter, and the 3rd exam's examiner, Lippo. You have only two more trials: the 4th round and the final."

_2 rounds left…_

~~~Later~~~

"And about the fourth round…" Lippo said and flicked his fingers, then a woman showed them a box, and Lippo added:

"I'm going to have each of you draw lots from this. There are as many cards in there as candidates. I will have each of you draw from this boy in the same order that you escaped from the Trick Tower."

"Well then, Hisoka, please go ahead!" the woman said and Hisoka drew a card. After all of them had a card, Lippo continued to explain:

"Thos numbers represent your candidates numbers. And these numbers determine… the predator an the prey. In other words, the object of the fourth test is to steal each other's number plates. And the exam candidate whose number you matches he

number you drew, will be your target! If you succeed in taking your targets number sheet.. 3 Points! If you keep your own numeral sheet… 3 points! The other sheets are only 1 point. To pass this test, you need a total of 6 points. You may do whatever it

takes to get 6 points. You will stay on Zebil Island for one week. It'll take two hours until we reach it."

~~~A little later~~~

Nero walked around the ship, looking at the number sheet she had drawn.

"Geez, I should have payed more attention.." she mumbled and sighed stressed out. Then she looked up, and saw Kurapica, who rested his arms on the ships rail and looked at the ocean. Se walked over to him and bumped her head on the ships rail.

"Do I disturb you?" she asked, but he answered.

"No, of course not. I was just thinking about something."

"About the 4th round, huh?"

"Yes."

"Well, it's not like it is a game like cops and robbers… it's simply a-"

"A manhunt." Kurapica finished her sentence. She eyed him, then grinned to herself.

"What is it?" he asked her, looking at her questioning an seemed slightly embarrassed that she stared at him. His expression made her chuckle briefly, then she said:

"You don't seem do be nervous."

"Well…" he started, then showed her his late. Her eyes widened, then she grinned evilly and said:

"Fufufu~ you sure are lucky to be able to give that pumpkin-head a good beating." Then she laughed quietly and evilly.

"And who is your target?" he asked, smiling to himself while looking at her. She gave him the sheet number she drew and said unenthusiastically:

"I realized it the moment I drew the number sheet."

"Huh?"

"I have no idea who my target is."

"Yo." someone suddenly said. They turned around and found Leorio, who had a suspicious smirk, while looking at them, which Nero decided to ignore.

They talked about the forth exam, and suddenly another one said:

"Manhunt? That's a nice way to put it."

Their faces fell and they said annoyed in union:

"Tompa…"

Then Tompa said some things about the other candidates, then added, looking at Hisoka, who already grinned sadistically:

"And I forgot the most threat. Everyone must be praying that they aren't Hisoka's target."

"You know, you really are multi-talented. You open our mouth and piss me off at the same time." Nero pointed out deadpan.

~~~Later~~~

"Now please leave the ship in the same order which you escaped from the Trick Tower. The next person will begin two minutes after the first person goes ashore." the woman from before said.

As Hisoka left, Kurapica pointed out:

"You're better off starting early…"

"Yeah, that way you can observe the other candidates." Nero agreed, but sounded rather annoyed, since they had to wait .

Then Gon left, saying:

"Well, Leorio… Kurapica… Nero…"

"We'll see you later." Leorio said and Kurapica nodded.

"Be careful, and come back with 6 points." Nero grinned and winked at him. He nodded, grinning back and left.

* * *

><p>Yoosh! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I wanted to say something about Sunleth Waterscape.. I picked that name from Final Fantasy 13, which I'm currently playing LOL The name Rain Vale just came through my mind^^<p>

Anyway, please give my review button a hug^^ :D See ya next time (This time earlier, I promise^^)


	8. Target? x Trap? x Evil Shrimp!

Hey everyone! I apologize for the late update, again -.- I'm sorry, but scholl is annoying right now. -.- Just wait until the next holidays XD I'll write until my fingers start bleeding LOL xD Anyway, I apologize for any confusions or mistakes and hope that you'll enjoy this chapter. :D

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own Hxh, I only own my OC's.**

* * *

><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 8 Target? x Trap? x Evil Shrimp!<br>**

"Who the hell has the number 222? I don't remember anyone having this stupid number!" Nero said irritated to herself, as she walked around Zebil Island and eyed the number sheet she had drawn.

"_Wait a sec… Could it be that gramps is behind this? Letting me fight against a candidate would be kind of unfair, I guess…" _

"But it still pisses me off! WHERE THE HELL IS NUMBER 222!" she yelled annoyed and her voice echoed over Zebil island.

Suddenly, someone jumped out of the bushes, attacking her. Nero however, simply went straight on, still eyeing the number sheet and ignored her attacker. Said attacker wasn't prepared for that, jumped too far and crushed with his face first in a tree,

sliding it down, and blacking out.

"You should watch where you're going." Nero advised him with a monotone voice, not even bothering to stop, or to look at him. But then, she decided to glance over her shoulder, and she noticed the thing he had dropped.

"The plate! Who would have thought that my target knocks himself out… And gramps really told you to test me? But you're such a loser..." she hurried back and looked at it, now having 6 points. Then she looked up, and sighed, sounding bored.

"I wonder where the others are…"

~~~A little later~~~

It was pretty late at night. The sky was clear, and Nero wanted to sleep, sitting on a tree.

Suddenly, she saw someone running through the forest.

"_Hisoka…? He must have found his target…" _She looking after Hisoka, then looked around.

Then she saw it: _Hisoka's target._

"Kurapica, Leorio..!" She jumped out of the tree, running after Hisoka, secretly.

…

"Hisoka…." Kurapica said, not taking his eyes off Hisoka, eyeing him suspiciously.

"What a confidence…" Leorio said, sweating nervously.

"Hey." Hisoka said.

Nero meanwhile stood on a tree, hiding herself and watching the situation.

"Are you his target?" Leorio asked Kurapica, being ready for the worst scenario.

"Possibly." he answered.

"Don't get so tense~. I just wanted to ask you a favour. I want two points worth number sheets. Could you give me your number sheets~? " Hisoka asked amused.

"What?"

"_..." _Nero just rolled her eyes_,_ hiding herself and eyeing the situation._  
><em>

"Quit joking around!" Leorio yelled.

"You said you want two points worth. That means neither of us is your target. So, what would you say if I said no?" Kurapica said.

"I'm sure you know what will happen." Hisoka answered.

"_Damn it! I wanted to avoid this kind of situation! I have to think of something!" _Nero thought, wanting to jump out of the tree at once, but knew that she had to stay calm.

"Are you going to give me your plates or not?" Hisoka asked, again.

"Let's make a deal. We currently have four plates. One is my plate. Another one is the one I got from my target." Kurapica started.

"_He really is amazing. But I didn't expect him _not_ to have 6 points, anyway_." Nero though, grinning slightly to herself.

"The third plate is only worth one point to us. And the last -" Kurapica continued and Leorio added:

"Is my plate."

"Heee~ So the button-down shirt guy doesn't have 6 points yet." Hisoka said amused, mocking Leorio.

"Leave me alone." Leorio said pissed. But then, Kurapica continued:

"Only two of the plates we have could be your target's plate. My plate, or the one that is only worth one point to us. Because Leorio's number is 403. Tompa, number 16, was after this plate. And my target was Tompa, number 16. A person can only be targeted by one other person in this exam. So neither one can be your target."

"_As if he would care about that!" _Nero thought, getting impatient.

"You are right. Neither is my target. So?" Hisoka asked, making a step forward.

"So now about the remaining two… I'll give you one point worth. But, I cannot give you more. If you really want another… Unlike in Numelle Swamp…I'll fight you!" Kurapica said, drawing his Tanto's. Leorio, too, draw his weapon.

Hisoka simply laughed evilly, then asked, after he calmed down a bit:

"And your number is?"

"404!" Kurapica answered, being ready to fight.

"That's not, either. Alright, we have a deal." Hisoka said. Kurapica threw one of his Tanto's in his other hand and stepped back, still not taking his eyes off Hisoka. Then he placed one of the plates on a tree.

"Calm down. I am not going to move form here for a while." Hisoka said.

"_Trusting that is as good as holding your head inside a lion's mouth_…" Nero though and her eyelid began to twitch.

However, Kurapica and Leorio disappeared.

"Phew…" Nero sighed relieved and inhaled, calming herself down. Suddenly, Hisoka started chuckling, sounding spiteful, then said, making Nero confused:

"You really grew up fast in the past few days. But not yet." Then he took the plate Kurapica left and said:

"This isn't the right one, either."

"_I should get outta here… Kurapica and Leorio are safe… well, for the time being." _

But not a heartbeat later, she felt a cold chill running down her spine. She shot her head around, looking at Hisoka. All the animals around ran away, panicked.

"_Seems like he finally lost it_… _Using his Nen to this points… He'll definitely kill someone. Great, I'm outta here. I just hope that the others stay away from him…_" Nero thought, face palming. She disliked his aura to the point that it gave her the creeps. Then, just for a second, she thought that she could feel someone else's presence, but shrugged it off, thinking that she was just confused by Hisoka's aura.

Then Hisoka started running, searching for someone to kill. Nero decided to stay out of it, as long as it didn't involve her friends, not noticing that she was right about not the only one watching Hisoka…

~~~A few days later~~~

"So now the last exam is almost over… Damn it, where did my princess go?" Leorio sighed annoyed, still not having found his targets, Ponzu.

"Princess?" Kurapica asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, princess. Your princess is on this Island too, by the way~." Leorio teased him.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Kurapica said irritated.

"Aww, you wouldn't get so irritated if I were wrong, you know?" Leorio said, grinning.

"Instead of saying nidicolous things like that, you should concentrate on your target." Kurapica responded calmly, yet one could hear that he was annoyed, even a little embarrassed.

"Yeah, maybe I should go to the starting point. People may have left after they got enough points."

"I doubt that. An important aspect of the test is being able to get your plate back after it was stolen. In other words, you till have to protect your plate after getting 6 points." Kurapica objected, but then added:

"But it's still worth going there. Physiologically, one would want to wait at the goal after getting six points."

"All right! Let's go!" suddenly someone said, surprising them. Then Nero suddenly appeared, hanging upside down from a tree, looking directly in Kurapica's eyes, grinning.

"Damn you, you evil shrimp! Don't scare us like that!" Leorio yelled, who almost got an heart attack.

"Don't call me shrimp, old man." Nero said, jumping down from the tree.

"You're only 3 cm taller than Killua, so you are a shrimp!" Leorio yelled.

"… You are insulting me, when you couldn't even get 6 points yet?" Nero asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't say that you already have 6 points?"

"Of course." Nero simply said, and Leorio's pride crackled. Then a gloomy aura started to surround him, huddling up in front of a bush.

Kurapica sighed stressed out, then turned to Nero, friendly asking:

"Why are you here, Nero?"

"You don't want me here?" she asked, teasing him, as she raised an eyebrow and grinned slightly.

"I- I didn't mean it like that!" he answered a little bit flustered.

"I know. Anyway, I was thinking that maybe, I could help you two…" Nero shrugged.

"I see. That would be a great help." Kurapica responded, hinting a gentle smile.

"That's good to hear." she said, somehow feeling really happy, then someone else said:

"Don't get all lovey-dovey. Let's go find my princess."

"Princess?" Nero asked, ignoring the other thing he said.

"You don't want to know." Kurapica told her, shaking his head in annoyance.

~~~…~~~

"I guess she's not anywhere, where I can find here easily." Leorio said, as the three were hiding.

"It would be more efficient if we decide on a place to meet and search separately." Kurapica pointed out.

"I agree. Then let's meet up here again." Nero suggested and Leorio nodded.

"And four people would be even better!" Gon suddenly said, who were sitting on a tree.

"Gon…!" Kurapica and Leorio said surprised in union and Nero nodded and grinned at him.

"I knew you were around here, but I couldn't tell where, exactly." Nero said. Then Gon jumped down, saying:

"A few people passed by. I was watching from above.""I see, we should have searched from above.." Leorio said, as if he saw the daylight, but Kurapica objected.

"Impossible. Gon is the only one who could do that. Anyway, did you get your plate?"

"…Yeah…" Gon answered him, but looked somehow sad.

"Huh?" Kurapica and Nero noticed that something was wrong with him, but Leorio started complaining:

"Damn it, So I'm the only one! Gon, my target is Ponzu! Did you see her?"

"No.

"Damn…"

"Which means, that someone may already gotten her." Kurapica pointed out, making Leorio twitch.

"Or she may have had an fatal accident.." Kurapica added, twisting a knife in Leorio's the wound.

"Or she may be dead, with her plate hidden somewhere." Kurapica continued, giving Leorio the fatal shot.

"… _He's enjoying himself…no? A sadist?_" Nero thought, staring at him in disbelief.

"Are you trying to depress me?" Leorio asked.

"Hey, Ponzu smelled like drugs, right?" Gon now asked.

"Well, she uses drugs." Nero said.

"I see. Gon might be able to follow her scent." Kurapica pointed out.

"Can you do it?" Leorio asked Gon.

"Yup, I'll try. That's why I came here." he answered, starting to sniffle in the air. However, his words made both, Nero and Kurapica curious, and they looked at each other.

"_What on earth happened to him in these few days?"_

_~~~ Later~~~_

The sun was already setting, and the first star appeared, as they stood in front of a hole.

"In there…"

"Yes."

"So the princess is inside this hole, huh? All right." Leorio said and wanted to walk inside, but the others interrupted.

"Wait, are you going alone?" Kurapica asked, whispering.

"Of course. She's my target. You guys wait here." Leorio said.

"That won't do!" Kurapica objected.

"So you want all four of us to go?" Leorio asked, sounding a little annoyed.

"Then how's this. 30 minutes. If you don't come back in 30 minutes, we'll go in." Kurapica suggested.

"No! If that happens, go back to the starting point." Leorio said, turning around.

"Then there's no point in our allying!"

"Then forget about the alliance!"

"Are you stupid?/ I don't want that!" Nero and Gon shouted in union.

"Eh? What did you say?" Leorio asked annoyed.

"I'll just stay for myself!" Gon said irritated.

"Yep, you don't have anything to say then, right?" Nero asked, but had a serious face.

"Whatever. I'll leave this with you!" Leorio gave up and have them his suitcase. Then he went in.

They waited and it was already dark. They got impatient, since Leorio still hadn't returned. But then, the three heard him yelling all of a sudden:

"Kurapica, Gon, Nero, don't come! Snakes!"

They hurried up and ran inside, then found Leorio, who was lying on the ground, dead snaked surrounding him.

"Leorio!" they shouted and sat down beside him.

"Stupid idiots! Why did you come…" Leorio said weakly.

"That…! Snakebites!" Nero said, looking at Leorio, who had been bitten by snakes serval times.

"If these are poisonous…" Kurapica had an ominous feeling. Gon looked at one of the dead snakes, the told them that they were not that poisonous.

"But they are too many! We have to help him!" Kurapica said.

"maybe he has an antidote in his suitcase!" Nero po9inted out, then looked for it together with Kurapica.

"Here is nothing that looks like an antidote!"

"There are too many bites! He won't make it!" Go said.

"Let's take him to a doctor!" Kurapica said. Then thy lifted Leorio up, wanting to carry him to the staring point, but Ponzu, who was in the hole, too, said:"I wouldn't do that, if I were you. Can't you hear them? It's the sound of the trap Barbon set. If anyone

tries to leave the cave, tons of snakes will attack! This is the trap laid by the snake trainer, Barbon." They looked at the entrance, then really saw a vast number of snakes.

"Barbon, aren't you after the plates? We'll give you all we've got. Just remove the trap!" Kurapica shouted at Barbon, who as in the cave, too.

"Please, Barbon!" Gon said.

"It's no use." Nero suddenly said calmly, making a solemn face.

"Huh?"

"He's already dead."

"The one who lay this trap is dead? Why?" Kurapica asked Ponzu, who simply answered:

"I killed him. As for knowing how, it's a family secret."

"… Gon, Nero, take care of Leorio." Kurapica told them, walking over to Barbon's corpse. However, when he wanted to scour him, the snakes tried to attack him.

"It's useless. If you tough him, all the snakes will attack you at the same time. 1: Trying ti get out of the cave, 2 touching Barbon. In both cases, snakes attack." Ponzu explained. Nero looked at the entrance, then she snapped out of her thoughts, as

Kurapica said, after looking at Barbon's corpse:

"Fighting evil with evil. From the look of the bruises, it must be a toxic reaction to a bee sting. He surely died due to an anaphylactic shock."

"Bravo, that's right. My target was him." Ponzu said, flicking her fingers. Suddenly, bees appeared out of her hat and she explained:

"If I start shouting or fall because of a shock, they attack people around me. But anyway, the problem is, even if Barbon is dead, is trap is still active. I already gave up. I'll wait for the Hunter committee members to come and help." "Do they help in a

situation like this?" Gon asked Nero surprised.

"Eh? Oh, yeah… There are transmitters in the plates. After the exam, they'll come look for us." Nero told him.

"Not immediately?" Gon asked, shouting.

"Of course not. The exam is still going on. But luckily, the committee members will show themselves tomorrow." Ponzu said.

"But Leorio is in a critical state! Nero, can't you do something?" Gon objected.

"I can't. The candidates have to deal with things like this by themselves. Even if we could get outta here, they won't do anything until the exam's over. It's not like a Hunter would receive any help on the battlefield, either." Nero answered calmly, but

bit her underlip.

"I warned him. But he still tried to tell you not to come in. But he got bitten for that. All you can do is pray that he'll survive until tomorrow." Ponzu then told them.

"_No, there is… But id it isn't there, then … another person will fall victim." _Kurapica thought, looking over to Barbon.

"_He isn't thinking that… But it should be there." _Nero thought, looking at Kurapica, then at Leorio.

"Kurapica, Nero, take care of Leorio." Gon suddenly said. Then he walked over to Barbon, looking determined.

He stepped even nearer, ignoring Ponzu's shouting and all the snakes attacked him. They bit him, wrapping around Gon. But then he shouted, throwing something:

"Kurapica!"Kurapica caught what he had thrown, then opened the little, white boy with the antidote inside.

"Gon, are you alright?" Nero asked, running over to him.

"Hurry, treat Leorio first!" Gon said.

"… I got it, just wait a second!" Kurapica told him, hurrying and treating Leorio. Nero looked at Gon, then started to carry him over to Kurapica and Leorio.

"Kurapica!" Nero said, and he nodded at her, as he threw her some of the antidote. She gave Gon the serum, and said:

"There was a good chance he would have a serum…"

"To inoculate poison to the adversary, possessing a serum is almost indispensable." Kurapica added.

"Do you still have some sleeping gas?" Gon then asked Ponzu. Then Gon showed her Barbon's plate, which he took while searching for the antidote.

"Would you trade me it for this? With this plate, you'll have 6 points, right?" Gon added.

Then they decided to use the sleeping gas against the snakes. Since they would fall asleep as well, Gon would had have to carry them, being able to hold his breath for about 9 minutes and 44 seconds.

"_I can't even hold my breath for 5 minutes…" _Nero though in amazement, gaping at her 12 year old friend in disbelief.

"Trust me, I won't leave you here." Gon said to Ponzu, who was not convinced.

"You're not healthy yet!"

"Gon can do it!" Leorio told her.

"I believe in Gon as well." Kurapica said.

"Yeah, Gon can handle it." Nero hit said boy friendly on his shoulder. Ponzu sighed, then said:

"Fine."

"Okay, release the gas when I give you a sign." Gon told Ponzu, then gave her a sign. She released the gas and even though Nero didn't like it, she gave in, then fell asleep.

~~~Later~~~

The morning was sunny, as Gon gave Ponzu the promised plate, but said, as he took Ponzu's plate, giving it to Leorio, who was still asleep, same as Kurapica and Nero. All three of them were leaning against the same tree.

"That's for the transport expenses. Don't bear a grudge against me~" Gon joked. Then added, looking at his friends:

"Well then, see you later!" Then left.

Kurapica opened his eyes, looking after Gon, then lesion said, who was awake, too:

"He looks relieved. He was really tense before."

"You were awake." Kurapica said.

"Yeah, I just woke up." Leorio answered, then looked over to Ponzu, who was still sleeping.

"Good thing you woke up early." Kurapica said.

"Yeah…" Leorio said, then stood up, holding her plate in his hands, then added:

"Sorry I can't wake you up. I'm not suited to be a prince." Then he turend to Kurapica, and smirked, making Kurapica feel uncomfortable.

"Seems like that that doesn't go for both of us~" Leorio said, still smirking, while obviously having impure thoughts, as he pointed at something next to Kurapica.

"Huh?" Kurapica looked next to him, now noticing that something was leaning against his shoulder.

"Whoa!" he was surprised, turned red and was flustered, as he saw that Nero was still sleeping, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"I can't believe this evil shrimp can look so innocent while sleeping!" Leorio stated snorting, then grinned at Kurapica, again, who seemed to want to wake her up, yet he didn't.

"I see, I see~" Leorio said, still smirking.

"W-What?" Kurapica almost didn't dare to ask.

"You like her!"

"You're acting childish!" Kurapica said angrily, but tried to hide his embarrassment, turning slightly red.

"Ha! I knew it!" Leorio said teasingly. But before Kurapica could try to deny it, Nero opened her eyes.

Huh?" She looked up, seeing Kurapica, who was very close, and they looked at each other.

"_Stupid heartbeat, stupid heartbeat! That's definitely not due to the lack of sleep! What the hell is wrong with me!" _she thought, and wanted to slap herself, as her pulse rate went up.

She stood up, trying to calm herself down, then asked Leorio annoyed, who still smirked:

"What the hell is up with that expression?"

"Nothing~" he answered with a mischievous tone, annoying her more. She grimaced irritated, then responded deadpan:

"I'm really impressed. I've never seen such a small mind in such a big head before."

"Why you little..! I was right! You're not cute at all, you evil shrimp! You're a way too feisty tomboy!" Leorio yelled. Meanwhile Kurapica tried to calm himself down as well.

Then suddenly, they heard a voice, who announced:

"The 4th exam is over! Please return to the starting point."

They went to the starting point, while Leorio still called Nero an evil shrimp, being careful not to get kicked.

When they go there, most of the candidates that got 6 points were already waiting, then the airship arrived.

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><p>Alright. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :D Please give my review button a hug. :3 See ya next time!<p> 


	9. Last Exam? x Disqualified? x Argue!

Hey everyone! :D Wah, I'm happy that I had the time to write a new chapter today! :D I hope you enjoy it and I apologize for any confusions or mistakes!

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC. Also, I don't support any violence.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 9 Last Exam? x Disqualified? x Argue!<br>**

Everyone had gathered in the examinee's room, waiting for information's about the final exam. Everyone, besides the one who already knew, were shocked to hear that Nero already was a Hunter, and that she would be a normal member of the Hunter Committee from there on.

"I've never seen so many jaws on the ground at the same time…" Nero remarked deadpan, eyeing their face's.

Then Netero entered the room, followed by Lippo, Satotsu, Menchi and Buhara.

"Well done, everyone. The 9 of you left here all passes the 4th exam. However, 6 out of the 9 are rookies. The chance for a rookie to pass is 1 in every 3 years, but there seems to be an exception. If there are 10 continuous years in a row where no

one passes, there may be a year where young promising men gather at once." Netero said to them.

"So in other words we're promising men!" Leorio grinned.

"Don't say it yourself. Also, we haven't passed yet." Kurapica said.

"Don't get so nervous guys. We have gotten this far, there's no question we passed. The next exam, is the last exam, after all." Hanzo said confidently.

"I told you he talks too much." Nero said to Netero and sighed.

"You sure have a big mouth for a ninja." Netero agreed, then added:

"The final exam is in three days. It will take place at a hotel that the Hunter Committee rents. In the meantime get as much rest as you can."

"Question: What's the final exam?" Leorio asked, as the examiners were about to leave the room.

"Se~cr~et~" Netero answered with a sing-sang voice.

"What?"

"Hohoho~ I hope you look forward to it!" Netero said, then left together with the other examiners, followed by Nero.

"_In other words, he don't know what kind of exam it will be yet_…" Nero thought, face palming.

~~~A little bit later~~~

The examiners, plus Nero, were siting in a room, drinking tea and eating cake, while discussing about the remaining candidates.

"However, in a good way, our predictions were wrong. That we still have 9 candidate left for the final exam…" Satotsu pointed out, sipping on his tea. Then Menchi picked up on Leorio's photo with her chopsticks, which were lying on the table together

with the pictures of the others candidates, and said:

"The least expected was this guy! I thought he would fail right away!"

"Is it because you're still pissed about him peeping on you in the shower?" Buhara asked.

"Of course! Even if he passes, I'll kick his ass!" she stated pissed.

"By the way President, what are you planning to do for the last exam?" Satotsu asked.

"Oh yeah, we still haven't heart about it!" Menchi said.

"It doesn't matter how many are left, how many will remain is determined by the last exam…" Buhara pointed out.

"About that, we're going to need some preparations." Netero agreed, nodding.

"Preparations? What is he planning?" Menchi asked.

"No, the question is what he's _plotting_…" Nero remarked, raising an eyebrow.

His secretary Maamen just shook his head, as he said:

"I don't understand what the President is thinking…"

"Me neither…" Nero agreed, being cautious.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"I'm a little anxious about what old Netero said. What is he going to make us do?" Leorio said, while sitting in a circle with the other candidates, not including Hisoka and Gittarackur, who were sitting a little away from them.

"It's no use worrying about such things here." Kurapica said.

"Ha, you're so boring! Everyone is nervous, so try and loosen up the atmosphere!" Leorio said slightly angry.

"I-Is that so?" Kurapica looked at the others.

"Anyway, we have all made it here together, now we all want to pass together at the end." Leorio added. Killua snickered, then remarked:

"Look who's talking."

"What!"

"I thought in the Trick Tower you said, 'I'll pass even if it's with the expense of others'."

"That was then, this is different!" Leorio yelled.

"It's no use to discuss this amongst rookies. Isn't it the best to ask someone with more experience?" Hanzo pointed out, slightly annoyed.

"Right." Kurapica agreed, as well as Leorio. Then they looked over to Pokkle, who held his hands up in a defending position.

"I'm no good. 3 years ago, I failed the 4th exam."

"What? You're no help at all." Hanzo sighed.

"Leave me alone!" Pokkle snapped.

"We need someone with experience! Damn, where is that evil shrimp when you need her!" Leorio said angrily.

*SMACK*

"Ouch!"

Leorio turned around, rubbing his head.

"Don't call me evil shrimp, old man!" Nero hissed, who had entered the room just now. Then she looked at them and everyone started at her, making her feel slightly uncomfortable.

"W-What?"

"You! You must know what the final exam is! We're friends, so tell us!" Leorio yelled, having hope.

"… No way."

"What!"

"No way, I can't tell you about the final exam."

"Stop this. It's not right to ask her this. Even though we are friends, she is still part of the Hunter Committee." Kurapica said.

"_I don't even know what the final exam will be yet… gramps just said 'Wait and see…'" _Nero thought, and had a bad feeling about it.

"What about you? Do you know anything about the final exam?" Kurapica now asked Bodoro.

"Yeah." Leorio said.

"You probably know something, right? The older, the wiser." Hanzo agreed. Bodoro nodded, then said:

"Last year, I failed the first exam."

Their face's fell, gaping at him in disbelief.

"That's no good." they sad in union.

"However, I can predict the base of the final exam. If we look back at the previous, you'll probably get it. First was a test of stamina, the second was a test of observation, and the basic of the 3rd test was to test our mentality. The 4th exam was to test our overall strength." Bodoro explained.

"Then let's hear what you have to say about the final exam." Hanzo said bored.

"You don't get it? There is one thing left that we have not been tested in."

"What is it?"

Yeah, what is it old man?"All of them were looking at him with wide eyes, wanting to know what the final exam will be. Then Bodoro said:

"The large amount of knowledge that is required a s a Hunter. In other words…A PAPER TEST!"

"…" That stroke them like a lightning. Their faces fell in shock, realizing that what he said could be true. Even Hisoka's card house crumbled, hearing the shocking news. Meanwhile Nero tried her hardest to be serious.

She bit her lip, not wanting to have a fit of laugher.

"We came this far, just to have a paper test?" Leorio asked shocked.

"I guess as a Hunter, there will be times when you must have knowledge of a subject." Kurapica said, placing a hand on his chin.

"What do we do? The worst one is held at the end!" Leorio said, ruffling his hair in frustration.

"I haven't studied at all lately!" Pokkle cried. Then they were quiet for a second, until Hanzo said:

"I got it! This airship has a library!"

"All right, let's go!" Leorio yelled, and all of them ran outside. Only Bodoro, Nero, Hisoka and Gittarackur stayed.

"I just said what came in my mind, but… oh well." Bodoro said.

~~~A little later~~~

Nero and Kurapica walked around the airship, then saw Gon, who was looking out of the window.

"What's up? Are you not going to study?" Kurapica asked

"I think there is no use in studying no. I'm not good in using my head." Gon answered.

"We're all different. Killua was drinking tea in the lounge." Kurapica said calmly.

"I see." Gon said, still looking out of the window. Kurapica and Nero looked at each other, then he asked Gon:

"Gon, the 4th exam… what happened?"

"When we reunited on Zebil Island, you didn't seem normal. We're worried about you." Nero said. Gon hesitated for a moment, but then answered:

"My target was Hisoka." Their eyes widened, then Kurapica said:

"What bad luck…"

"I waited for a chance and stole Hisoka's plate. But I was also followed by someone and easily got the plates stolen. After that, Hisoka came chasing us and got the plates back, but… Hisoka purposely left his own plate by me and said 'I'll let you borrow it,

just give it back someday'. When I said I didn't want it, he beat me up and said' I'll take it back when you can get one clean hit on my face'. I couldn't do anything and I was really… angry." Gon explained, and some tears rolled down his cheeks.

He rubbed them a ways with his sleeve, then continued:

"After that I felt like such a loser and felt like I had no strength to g on. If I pass like this it's pitiful. At least, I wanted to help someone, I guess. That's why I looked for you. Thank you."

"Gon, Leorio and I got here thanks to you. I sincerely thank you." Kurapica told him, smiling. Nero added, then said, placing a hand on Gon's shoulder:

"I thank you, too… for being my friend. That goes for the other three, too. And I also believe that you will become a great Hunter."

"Now I'm embarrassed!" Gon said grinning, rubbing the back of his head, then added, now feeling better:

"But no, I'm the one… Thank you guys!"

"Yes, let's become a Hunter together, Gon." Kurapica said.

"Yeah!"

Then suddenly, they heard someone saying over the loudspeakers:

"In a while the President will receive you for a conversation. When you're called, please come to the first reception room of the first floor. Candidate number 44. We ask that you please come to the reception room."

"A conversation?"

~~~A little later~~~

"Miss Nero, would you please come o the reception room."

"Huh? Why me?" Nero mumbled annoyed, but entered the room, anyway.

"… Should I be scared to ask what you want from me?" she asked, still suspicious.

"Hohoho~ No, I just wanted to hear your opinion about the candidates."

"Eh?"

"Just give me a short statement about the remaining candidates. I'd like to hear my cute granddaughters opinion~~~" Netero said teasingly. Nero shrugged, ignoring being called 'cute'.

"Anyway, let's start with him." Netero said, pointing at Hanzo's photo.

"… That guy just talks too much." Nero snorted annoyed. Netero laughed, then said:

"Please be serious, even if I love your snappy attitude, it's just too cute~~"

"I said zip it! Don't call me cute!" Nero's eyelid began to twitch annoyed, but then sighed and answered:

"But alright. I think he is on a different level than the other rookies."

"I see~ and what about 53?" Netero asked, obviously enjoying to tease Nero. Nero looked at him, having a blank expression, then simply asked:

"Who?"

"This guy." Netero pointed at Pokkle's picture.

"Oh!" Nero's eyes widened as if she saw the daylight.

"What about him?" Netero asked her, slightly surprised.

"I forgot hewas even there..." Nero shrugged.

"I think I have my answer now." Netero said, then pointed at Gon's picture.

"Gon is really amazing. I think he has some awesome instincts and he would definitely make a good Hunter. He definitely has more than enough talent." Nero answered, slightly grinning.

"I see, I see~ And what about 99?"

"Killua got some awesome skills and is trained very well. Also, he can be pretty bratty sometimes, but he's cool. I want him to become a Hunter as well." Nero answered.

"And what about 404?" Netero asked, sounding innocent.

"His observation skills, as well as his knowledge are amazing. He is probably the most balanced from all of them. Also, I really like talking to him, we share the same interest. And I like being around him. I really want him to become a Hunter as well." Nero

answered, hinting a smiled. Netero was quiet for a second, eyeing her slightly surprised, seeing her expression, then said, as a gloomy aura surrounded him:

"My cute granddaughter will grow up and leave her grandfather!"

"I'm trying to be serious here!" Nero hissed. He cleared his throat and asked:

"What about 403?"

"You sure recover fast…" Nero gaped at him in disbelief, but then answered:

"Honestly, my first impression of him was: _all talk. _But then, I thought that his attentions to become Hunter are very honourable, and he's kind even though he would deny that:" Nero explained.

"I see. What about 44?" Netero asked.

"I get sick thinking what he will do if he had a Hunter Licence Card, but somehow, I want to fight him, yet I don't. To put it simply, he is dangerous, but definitely worth fighting with."

"Good, then it seems like we are done." Netero said, laughing, giving Nero a bad feeling.

"_What does Santa's evil twin plan to do now…?"_

~~~A little later~~~

All examiners were waiting to hear what kind of exam the last test would be. Netero drew something on a paper, then said:

"I see, I'm dome! It's more one sided than I thought!"

"Are you planning a tournament battle?" Menchi asked.

"Hohoho~ That's exactly right!" Netero answered.

"_No way_!" Nero thought, thinking that only one person could become a Hunter. But the Netero showed them the draw for the tournament, and Nero's face lightened, while the faces of the other examiners fell.

EHHH?

"Are you serious, Sir? Buhara asked.

"Yes." Netero simply answered, with a blank face."_He is serious_…" they shook their heads in disbelief. Nero looked at her grandfather and he nodded.

"_Good, that means only one person will fail_." Nero thought, but then took a better look on the drawing and she wanted to hit Netero, shouting furiously:

"Are you stupid! Why the hell is that thing here so damn unfair!"

"… Hohoho~~~"

~~~3 days later~~~

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Shortly, we will arrive at the final exam arena "

…

They walked into the arena, eyeing it.

"This is the moment…" Pokkle said, completely depressed.

"Alright, I've crammed everything! Hit me with your best shot!" Leorio said hyped up. Nero was still pissed at her grandfather, standing next to Netero.

"The last exam will be an one-on-one tournament." Netero announced.

"T-Tournament?" Hanzo asked shocked.

"Isn't it a written exam?" Leorio asked, shouting.

"Written exam? Who told you a lie like that? "Netero asked, being amused, while Nero finally had an outburst of laugher.

"I can't believe you idiots really bought that!"

Leorio, Pokkle and Hanzo shot Bodoro a glare, who turned his head away, playing innocent.

"Then here are the line ups for the tournament." Netero said revealing the drawing for the last exam, which shocked everyone.

"You're kidding, right? There's only one winner?" Leorio asked, shocked. Then they saw who Kurapica had to fight against.

#44 against #404.

"Ah! Your first match is against Hisoka!" Leorio was shocked.

"You're right…" Gon said, while Kurapica just looked serious.

"C'mon, whatever you do, win please? Don't let him advance!" Leorio said, bending down to Kurapica.

"I'll win. No matter what it takes" Kurapica said determined.

"Hohoho~ don't misunderstand. The condition to pass this exam is to win one time. In other words, the winners get out, while the losers go up." Netero explained.

"So that means only one can fail?" Hanzo asked.

"That's right. There will be at least two chances for everyone of you to win." Netero answered.

"What? You should have told us sooner." Leorio sighed relieved, then asked:

"But what is up with the unfair matching?"

"That's an obvious question." Netero said and looked over to Nero, who ignored him. Then Netero explained, clearing his throat:

"These groups were chosen using the results you had in the previous rounds. Simply, the one who got good marks until now have a better chance of passing. The fighting rules are simple. Weapons are allowed, and pushing your opponent to quit gives you the victory! However, if you kill your opponent, you'll be disqualified. Now, we will begin the last exam!"

…

The first fight was Kurapica against Hisoka.

"_The fighter full of pride from the Kuruta clan, against the worst magician imaginable."_

Kurapica drew his Tanto's, then attacked.

"Kurapica… Awesome.. I should stop getting into fights with him!" Leorio said, as his jaw fell on the ground.

_"It's like they're predicting three moves ahead._" Nero thought, trying to say calm.

"Don't say you're worried!" Leorio teased her.

"Shut up." Nero simply said, but didn't look at him, still eyeing the battle with a solemn, yet worried face.

"Huh?" Leorio looked at her, then grinned slightly.

"I get it.."

After a while, one of Kurapica's Tanto's broke. But no matter what Hisoka did, Kurapica wouldn't admit defeat. It was obvious that Hisoka had to calm himself down, having the urge to kill Kurapica.

"You're getting me a little excided here." Hisoka said, and Nero and Gon remembered what had happened on Zebil island.

"Hisoka!" Kurapica's eyes turned scarlet and he attacked again. Hisoka threw a card at him, but Kurapica caught it and threw it back, piercing it in Hisoka's shoulder.

"Both aren't normal.." Leorio said, pulling on his necktie.

"But the real problem starts here!" Nero said, who saw Hisoka's expression and Killua agreed.

"Must stay calm. I must stay calm…" Hisoka said to himself, then pulled the card out of his shoulder, licking on his own blood. Then he slowly walked over to Kurapica and whispered something in his ear.

"I'll tell you something about the spider."

Kurapica, who's eyes had turned to normal again, turned scarlet once more. Then Hisoka admitted defeat, much to the surprise of everyone.

"That's no problem… The first match winner: 404 Kurapica!" the judge announced.

"I don't really understand what happened, but Kurapica won, didn't he?" Gon asked cheerfully.

"Looks like it" Leorio said, and Gon jumped at him, hugging Leorio, while cheering.

"YEAHHHH! Kurapica passed! He's the first to pass the Hunter exam!"

…Then they had a 30 minutes break until the next match started.

"Are you alright?" Nero asked Kurapica, who was sitting outside with her.

"Yeah, just a little tired." He answered, but still seemed a little down.

"What did Hisoka say to you?" she asked desreet.

"I was about the spiders."

"The Genei Ryodan… it's their symbol, right?" Nero asked.

"Yes. Therefore, the ones closets to the Ryodan call them by that name. I have no memory of telling him about the Ryodan, but it seems like he figured out my relation with them all of a sudden. I don't know how much he is involved with them." Kurapica told her. Nero looked at him, not really knowing how to chher him up, but then had an idea. She stood up, then said:

"I just noticed. Congrats."

"Huh?" He looked at her and stood up, too.

"Congratulations. You are a Hunter now." Nero said, winking at him.

"Oh yeah, I am.." Kurapica said, somehow forcing a slight smile.

"C'mon, look happier. You're finally a Hunter now!"

"Yeah, you're right. Thank you." He said and hinted a gentle smile. They were quiet for a few seconds, just looking at each other, then both wanted to say something at the same time.

"Err, you go first…" Nero said.

"No, please go ahead." Kurapica said, and both seemed to be embarrassed by their own actions.

"_What he hell? I'm behaving lie an idiot! I should slap myself_!" Nero thought and cursed herself.

"… Am I interrupting something?" Leorio said with a mischievous tone, who had appeared all of a sudden.

"Yes, if you ask something like that again, you'll be interupting your own funreal." Nero joked deadpan.

"You little..!" Leoio yelled, but then said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder:

"The break is over soon."

"Now then, the first match, 294 Hanzo, vs. 405 Gon!" the judge announced.

"I can't accept that Gon and Hanzo got the same rating! Hanzo should have obtained a much higher rating. In skills, the badly is much more advanced. " Menchi said to the other examiners.

"I think so, too, but.." Buhara said.

"It's about the impression points. The impression points have something that is immeasurable, which explains Gon's high rating." Satotsu said, placing a hand in his chin.

"That means his talent as a Hunter is above exception. But the baldy still has the advantage in this match." Menchi objected.

Suddenly, Hanzo turned to the judge, and said:

"And we meet again! You were the one that followed me during the 4th round, weren't you? Each candidate was followed by a judge. I couldn't have been the only one to have noticed it."

"_Here we go again_…" Nero thought, grimacing.

Leorio's face fell and he was speechless.

"I didn't know…"

I thought it was to obvious to inform you." Kurapica pointed out.

"Now then, begin the match!" the judge said. Go immediately started to run around, being confident in his speed, but Hanzo could keep up, no matter what Gon did. Hanzo beat him up, damaging his eyesight and one of his ear.

"You should give up." Hanzo said, but Gon didn't want to.

"No way!"

Meanwhile the examiners had their own opinion about the chairman…

"We are noting compared to Presidents mean personality! There isn't anyone who could admit their loss and come here again, right? The kid is in a bad situation." Menchi said, putting a hand around her mouth.

And like this, three hours passed…

*CRACK* Hanzo broke Gon's arm.

Leorio clenched his fists and teeth, trying to calm down, but just couldn't.

"Guys, don't stop me… If that guy goes any further… I'm sorry for Gon, but I'll kick his ass!"

"Stop you?" Kurapica said, sounding way too calm. His eyes had turned scarlet.

"Don't count on it." Nero added and clenched her fists, digging her nail in her palms, which started bleeding.

"Yes, there is no chance of that happening."

Then suddenly, Gon moved and kicked Hanzo's arm, who was doing a handstand, causing said ninja to fall flat on his face. Then Gon stood up and said:

"I'm slowly recovering from that long talk."

"YEAH! LET'S GO! KILL HIM!" Leorio said spitefully, cheering Gon on.

"Leorio, if he does that, he'll lose…" Kurapica mentally face palmed.

"Kick his ass. Gon!" Nero shouted. Hanzo stood up, and said:

"I let you kick me, but.."

"LIAR!" Nero and Leorio shouted pissed in union.

Then Hanzo started to threaten Gon with a special knife, saying that he would chop his legs off, if he didn't admit defeat.

"That's bad." Gon suddenly said, then added, with a serious face:

"I don't want you to cut my legs, but I don't want to lose, either! Let's fight in another way!"

"…"

"What, you! Do you- What the hell- Have you any idea-" Hanzo was mad, but didn't know what to say. Meanwhile the others either started laughing, or gaped at Gon in disbelief.

But no matter how much Hanzo threatened him, Gon wouldn't admit defeat, and in the end, Hanzo admitted defeat. And even though Gon tried to stop him, not wanting to win like that, Hanzo simply knocked him out. Hanzo admitted defeat again, and Gon was the winner.

"_Gon won't like this." _Nero sighed.

The next fight was Hisoka against Bodoro. Bodoro was stubborn, determined to win, but couldn't do anything against Hisoka and the match was completely one-sided. Then Hisoka whispered something in Bodoro's ear, and Bodoro gave up. The next fight

was Hanzo against Pokkle. However, Pokkle soon admitted defeat.

The next fight was originally Leorio against Bodoro, but Leorio argued that Bodoro was severely injured, so he requested to delay the battle.

"Approved." Netero said and started the 6th round, which was Killua against Pokkle. However, Killua didn't want to fight against Pokkle, saying that it would be boring and admitted defeat, being confident that he would win the next battle.

The 7th round was Killua against Gittarackur, and this fight was his biggest miscalculation…

Gittarackur removed the needles which stuck in his head, and his head started to deform, then revealed a young, black haired male.

"This is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen." Nero remarked and grimaced, being slightly disgusted.

"B-Brother…" Killua seemed shocked.

Now everyone else was confused. Leorio looked back and forth, eyeing Killua and Illumi, his brother.

"Eh?"

"I hear you injured mom and brother. Mom cried, you know?" Illumi said, with an emotionless face.

"Of course. Her own son attacked her with a knife." Leorio pointed out.

"Because she was emotional moved." Illumi said, and Leorio just fell over, not believing what he had just heard.

"Mom said you have gotten very independent, so she's glad." Illumi added.

Then he said various things to Killua, and Killua seemed somehow scared. A cold chill ran down Nero's spine. She could understand Killua.

"It's true that I didn't come here to become a Hunter, but I have something I want now." Killua tried to object.

"Then tell me what you want" Illumi said, still not having any trace of emotion in his voice or face.

"I want to… be friends with Gon. I want to be normal and be friends with Gon." Killua told him, after hesitating for a moment.

"You will never have any friends. It's impossible." Illumi said.

"_What a bastard! What kind of brother is he? The I'll-help-my-brother-commit- suicide type of brother, or what?_" Nero thought, snorting annoyed. Leorio, too, was pissed off.

"Killua, I don't care if he's your brother or not, but I still have to warn you. He's just a bastard. Don't listen to him! You said you wanted to be friends with Gon. What are you talking about! A-"

"Aren't you already friends? Gon believes that, too!" Nero interrupted Leorio.

"You evil shrimp stole the best part of my speech!" Leorio yelled, but she turned her head away, ignoring him.

"Really?" Illumi asked Nero.

"Of course, dimwit!" Leorio answered for Nero.

"I see. Alright, I will have to kill Gon." Illumi said and wanted to leave, but the other candidates, Nero and some of the judges blocked the door.

"Oh, that's right! I'll be disqualified if I do that now!" Illumi said and decided that he would maybe kill him after he qualified. Then he walked over to Killua, who seemed like he just wanted to run away. When Illumi reached his hand out, Killua admitted defeat.

After that, Killua seemed to have lost his soul. He was just sitting there, and even though Nero, Kurapica and Nero tried to speak with him, he wouldn't react at all.

Then next fight was Leorio against Bodoro. However, as soon as the fight started, Killua entered and pierced through Bodoro's torso. He was immediately taken to the hospital, but still died soon after that. Killua was disqualified and left.

~~~A few hours later~~~

Everyone had to listen to Maamen's explanation about being a Hunter and the Hunter Licence Card. Nero, who was dragged inside the room as well, still refused to talk with Netero and shot Illumi death glares.

Not much later, Gon entered the room and didn't seem very happy. He walked past his friends and stood in front of Illumi.

"Apologize to Killua!"

"Apologize? For what?" Illumi asked. Now Gon grabbed him by his wrist and threw him in the air, but Illumi landed on his feet.

Gon clenched Illumi's wrist more, then said:

"I'm going to find Killua, tell me where he is."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious? To bring him back!" Gon yelled.

"You sound like I kidnapped him. He left by himself. " Illumi said.

"No, you manipulated him! So we can talk about kidnapping!" Gon objected.

"Actually, we were just discussing that. Kurapica and Leorio argued to the Committee about it. " Netero suddenly said.

"Yes, President, and also because your granddaughter would never talk with you again, if you wouldn't listen to them..." Maamen said.

However, not matter how much they argued, Killua's disqualification couldn't be taken back.

Then Kurapica started to argue with Pokkle, who found that the way he qualified was abnormal, since Hisoka admitted defeat, also wanting to know what Hisoka had said to him.

"I don't need to answer that." Kurapica told him calmly.

"I think you do." Pokkle said.

"No, I don't. If my qualification was abnormal, then your victory without fighting is even more incomprehensible."

"What did you say? And also, isn't it kind of unfair that you guys got this far because an examiner helped you?" Pokkle snapped, and pointed at Nero.

Nero stood up and banged her hands on the table in front of her, then said very calmly, while her grey eyes glimmered with anger and annoyance:

"First: I'm no examiner, I'm just an observer for the Committee, and their own ability got them this far. Second: If you have a problem with him, or with my friends overall, then please try and say that again. Third: No matter how you qualify, if the

Committee says you are a Hunter, then you are. Or are you trying to criticize my, or even gramps sense of judgement? I advise you not to. I'm sorry that you didn't caught my eye during the exams. If you are not satisfied with the way you qualified,

then don't use your Licence or train until you are satisfied with yourself."

"Don't fight over this incident anymore. No one has the right to criticize if the other is qualified or not. With Killua's skill, he would qualify if he attempts the Hunter's exam, again. It's too bad that he was disqualified, but it can't be helped. More important is that you always forced Killua! I'll never forgive you!" Gon said, then yelled at Illumi, clenching his wrist even more than before.

However, Netero interfered, remembering to listen to Maamen's explanation about the use of the Hunter Licence Card and more.

After more time had passed, and Maamen was done explaining, Netero announced:

"The 7 people here are now registered as Hunters".

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><p>YOSH, I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D Please give my review button a hug :D Se ya next time :D *waves*<p> 


	10. Kukuru Mountain? x Goodbye? x Tour Bus!

Hey everyone! :D I really love weekends XD Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I apologize for any confusions or mistakes. :D

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC. Also, I don't support any violence.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 10 Kukuru Mountain? x Goodbye? x Tour Bus!<br>**

"Illumi!" Gon ran after Illumi, who wanted to leave the room.

"What is it now?" Illumi asked.

"Tell me where Killua is! Killua is my friend! Whatever it takes, I'll bring him back!" Gon said determined.

"Hmm, what about the three behind you. They have the same opinion?" Illumi asked, pointing at Nero, Kurapica and Leorio.

"I think that's obvious!" Leorio said, and Kurapica and Nero nodded, agreeing.

"Well, even if I tell you, you'll never reach him. Killua must have gone back home, in Kukuru mountain." Illumi said, sounding emotionless.

…

They walked out of the room, talking about Kukuru Mountain.

"Kukuru Mountain… Never heard of it. You know where it is?" Leorio asked Kurapica, but he seemed to space out.

"Eh, Kurapica?"

"Huh? Yes, what?" Kurapica snapped out of his thoughts.

"He talked about Kukuru Mountain. Do you know where it is?"

"No… I don't " Kurapica answered.

"I heard of it, but I don't know where it is, either." Nero said, thinking.

"Even if you knew where it is… Your sense of direction is just not trustable…" Leorio pointed out, teasing her.

"Is that supposed to be funny? I think head-butting you would be funny…" Nero remarked deadpan, walking straight ahead.

"Anyway, if we look for it, we'll end up finding it. We should go 'surfing'." Kurapica suggested, stopping the bickering between the two squabblers.

"Yeah, your right." Nero agreed. Then someone plucked on her vest. She looked down and saw Gon.

"Err, Nero, what's 'surfing'?"

"We meant consulting electronically pages. Simply, it's an universal encyclopaedia with electronic connection. But it's best to see for yourself." she answered hitting him friendly on his back. Kurapica sat down and started the computer, using his Licence Card.

"Let's begin with Kukuru Mountain." Leorio said and Kurapica searched for it.

Kukuru Mountain: Mountain at 3722 meter in Dentora's Province in republica of Padokia.

"Padokia… Where is that?" Leorio asked. Kurapica opened a map and looked for it.

"No problem. Even mere tourists can go there. If we take a flying ship, we'll get there in about three days." Kurapica told them.

"Huh… The next flight is tomorrow… "Nero pointed out, then she suddenly jerked her head up.

"Gon, didn't you want to know something about your father? I can try looking for something now." Nero suggested.

"Really?" Gon's face brightened a bit.

"Sure." Nero said and walked over to the computer next to them.

"Gin Freaks was it, right?" she asked and Gon nodded.

"Ah, there he is… but.. The information is forbidden. He must be registered in the top secret files in the electronic brain… And someone who'd like to be registered on the list, must have the power of a President or something. He s definitely someone

important!" Nero told Gon, but then said, being hyped up.

"But don't worry! Even though it will take some time, I'll definitely help you to find information's about your father! That's my personal challenge as an Information Hunter!"

~~~Later~~~

"Now Lady's and Gentleman, please enjoy this last night here." Maamen announced, beginning the arranged party, to celebrate the new Hunters.

They took pictures, while Menchi was totally drunk and chased Leorio with her knifes.

"So, what are you planning to do after this?" Pokkle, who had apologized, asked Nero, who tried to get out of the way of a drunk Menchi.

"Well, I don't think gramps will leave me a single free minute. I guess I have to do a few jobs for him and the Committee." Nero sighed irritated.

"So it's the last night together for the four of you." Pokkle pointed out and Nero's face fell.

"_I forgot about that… It will be hard to say goodbye… Seems like I got attached to them… especially.._" she thought a little depressed, eyeing Kurapica from the corner of her eye, but snapped out of her thoughts, as Menchi started chasing Leorio once again.

"_Geez, what the heck is wrong with me? I don't have time to be depressed_… " she thought, then thought about it another time and made a decision…

~~~The next day~~~

"Everyone, after you step out of this place, you will be a Hunter just like us. We are not only partners, but also rivals. No matter what happens until the next time we meet, I hope you stay safe until then." Netero said, while the other examiner stood with him in front of the new Hunters.

…

"See ya, if you need something, just use my Home Code." Pokkle said, as they exchanged their Home Codes.

"Even though it was only a short time, it was fun! If you want to visit my country, please contact me, I'll show you around." Hanzo said, giving them his business card.

_"Since when do ninjas have a business cards_…?" Nero eyed the card, but took it, anyway. Then she took out her cards with her Home Codes, having about 16 of them.

They gaped at her in disbelief, then asked:

"Why the hell do you have so many?"

"Obviously because I have so many calls, that one Home Code is not enought. This one here is for private calls, and this one here is for buisness. Oh, and that one is for emergencys. Also, I have one for jobs that take more time, and one for jobs that

I can finish quickly. Then there are the ones for dangerous jobs, and not so dangerous jobs, and the one that just my grandfather uses..." Nero explained, showing them her cards.

...

"Take care!" Gon waved after him, as he and Pokkle left, then turned to Netero and the other examiners, saying goodbye. They were about to say goodbye to Nero, too, even if they didn't want to. But then, she suddenly, walked around the corner, took her bag and walked past Netero.

"Well then gramps, I'm off."

"EHHH?" Netero looked at her with wide eyes.

"W-Where are you going?"

"Huh? To Kukuru Mountain, obviously." she answered, as if it was the most normal thing on earth.

"Nero, you're coming along?" Gon asked, with sparkly eyes.

"Yup, or can't I?" she asked grinning.

"Of course you can!" Gon cheered, while Netero's face fell.

"Waahhhh! My cute little granddaughter will leave me!" Netero cried, a gloomy aura surrounding him.

"Gramps, stop this! You're embarrassing me!" Nero hissed, tyring not to blush.

*SNIF, SNIF*

"Alright, but don't forget to call me~~~" he said, still being gloomy.

"If you don't stop this, I won't." she said icily, shocking Netero more.

"I was joking, I'll contact you. Bye then, everyone!"

As the four left, Netero and the other examiners looked after them.

"Seems like she found it." Netero said, as he looked after Nero, who walked with the other three, looking happy.

"What do you mean, President?" Satotsu asked confused. Netero stroked his beard.

"Hohoho~… She finally found what's truely important, even though she has yet to notice it herself. Her journey has just begun... "

~~~ca. 3 days later~~~

After they got out of the airship, they now had to take the train. They opened the door, and were just stunned seeing the inside of one of the first- class train compartment rooms.

"Look at that! No wonder it's first class!" Leorio said, whistling in amazement.

"Sure thing…" Nero agreed.

"Huh? But you are a Hunter much longer. Aren't you used to that?" Leorio asked.

"I know what it looks like, but I usually travel with third- class, since most bounty hunters would expect that I travel with first- class.

"Bounty hunters?"

"Yep, I have a bounty on my head, since I'm the Presidents granddaughter... Many bad people want to use me against gramps." Nero answered, shrugging.

Gon let himself fall on the sofa, but slid off, then complained that it was too soft to move around.

"That's good. An injured person shouldn't move around too much." Leorio said, teasing him.

"Does that mean I can't go adventuring with you, Leorio?" Gon protested.

"What? You think I want to go with you?" Leorio asked annoyed. But Gon convinced him, anyway, the he turned around to Nero and Kurapica, asking:

"Are you coming along, too?"

"Maybe later." Nero answered, sitting down next to Kurapica, who agreed with her. Then Gon and Leorio left.

They were silent for a moment, being a little nervous to be alone.

"_Wahh…! Calm down, stupid me! I wonder what that is… I enjoy being with Gon, Killua and Leorio, too. I can relax around them, and love being with them, but... My heart only beats so fast when I'm with Kurapica.. Gosh, I should give myself a good kick in the head!_"

"..ro?"

"Nero?"

Nero snapped out of her thoughts, looking at Kurapica, who had called out to her.

"You spaced out. Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking about something…" she answered, sighing. He eyed her for a second, then something caught his eye.

"Say, that book that you have there.." he pointed at the book that she took out of her bag.

"...Isn't that about the history from Sunleth Waterscape?"

"Yes, it is." she answered and gave it to him. She moved over to him, so that both of them could look inside the book. Beautiful drawings could be seen, showing and describing the landscape, and the nature of Sunleth Waterscape, as well as its history.

She explained a lot about its hidden treasures, the unique nature and he listened, being very interested.

Nero was so into telling him what she knew about her homeland, that she didn't notice that their cheeks almost touched, as she pointed about some drawings. But he definitely noticed it, slightly blushing, yet didn't mind her being close at all.

Kurapica, who was listening carefully, was not only very interested in the history of Sunleth Waterscape, but also found himself wanting to know more about Nero.

Suddenly, after about 1 hour, Leorio and Gon came back. They stood in the door and Leorio stopped.

"C'mon Gon. It seems like, that they want to be alone." Leorio said, with a mischievous tone.

"Huh? Why?" Gon asked and Leorio whispered something in his ear, making the 12 year old blush. Nero jumped on her feet, yelling, while turning red:

"Don't put weird ideas in his head, you dumbass!" Kurapica shook his head, obviously being annoyed and embarrassed himself, blushing and grimacing irriatated.

"_Is it just me, or is he doing that on purpose?_" Kurapica asked himself, still irritated.

"I'm just telling the truth~!" Leorio responded, snickering.

"Drop dead!" Nero hissed, and kicked him, causing him to fall flat on his face.

"I think you were wrong about what you told me." Gon said to Leorio. Then Nero sat down next to Kurapica, again, sighing annoyed, still being slightly embarrassed, knowing what Leorio had meant.

"_What a damn pervert_…" she thought, trying to calm herself down, then shot Leorio a glare, who sat down together with Gon in front of them.

~~~A little later~~~

The ride was extremely comfortable, and it didn't shake at all.

"I can't believe we got one of the two only first-class rooms." on said.

"That's because the Hunter Association has reservations in first- class seats in all transpirations." Nero explained, flipping through her book, while sitting next to Kurapica.

"Anyhow, being able to ride on first-class Is so cool. If it was third-class, sleeping would be a lot rougher." Leorio stated.

"I have thought of a way. I call it 'sleeping technique for third-class'." Kurapica said and explained what he meant, though Leorio spaced out.

After a while, the sun had already set, and they decided to go to sleep. Nero couldn't care less about sharing the room with them or not, so she decided to sleep next to Gon, though he really moved a lot in his sleep.

On the next day, they could already see Kukuru Mountain, while Gon brushed his teeth, Leorio fixed his necktie, and Nero tried not to fall asleep again, having low blood pressure and not being a morning person.

Suddenly, Gon ran out of the bathroom, somehow being amused, and Leorio chased him.

"What the hell are you doing so early in the morning?" she asked annoyed, as the ran around the sofa, which she was sitting on.

"He ruined my new necktie!" Leorio yelled.

"It's just toothpaste…" Nero raised an eyebrow.

"Such trivial matters…" Kurapica and Nero said in union.

…

When the arrived, they asked some people abut Kukuru Mountain and found out that they could just take a tour bus.

They entered the tour bus and Nero ignored the guys who wolf-whistled after her, simply sitting down between Gon, who sat next to the window, and Kurapica, who sat next to Leorio and seemed to be troubled and annoyed hearing the whistling.

"Jealous?" Leorio asked him teasingly, putting a hand around his mouth, so that Nero couldn't hear them.

"Don't talk nonsense." Kurapica answered, but sounded very irritated.

However, when the tour started, Nero had to try hard not to throw the annoying tour guide named Coco-chan out of the window. "_Why is she so noisy… All people I met are talking their heads off._" Nero thought annoyed.

After about two hours, they arrived at a huge gate, which Coco-chan called 'the Gate with no Return'."

Nero eyed the gate, then saw the tiny gate next to the huge one.

_"Why are there two?… "_

"Hey, Guide-san, do you know how to get in there?" Gon asked Coco-chan.

"Call me Coco-chan. And, any further would be the Zoldyck family's territory. That's why we can't tour beyond the gate." she answered.

"Huh?" Leorio's face fell.

"I didn't think it would be that easy." Kurapica pointed out, sighing.

"From here to the sea of trees and to Kukuru Mountain, are all properties of the Zoldyck family!" Coco-chan told them with a business smile.

WHAAAAAT? Leorio's eyes jumped out of his sockets.

"Excuse me, Guide-san." Gon asked, but she didn't react. "Coco-chan?"

"What is it?" she asked smiling.

"How do we get in?"

"Didn't you listen to me? You'll never get out of there alive." she told him, smiling, but an intimidating aura surrounded her.

"Elderly woman are scary." Nero remarked deadpan.

"What did you say?" Coco-chan asked her, smiling, but was obviously pissed off.

"… See, you are elderly. You couldn't even hear what I was saying." Nero shrugged.

"Say,_ little, cute_ girl…" Coco-chan started, still smiling, but reminded Nero of Snow white's as witch disguised stepmother, also not being very happy about being called cute and little.

"Are you jealous, by any chance?" Coco-chan asked her syrupy.

"Of what? Your bushy, grey-turning hair?" Nero asked deadpan, but something provoking was in her voice. Kurapica, Leorio and Gon stepped back, not wanting to get involved. Then suddenly two bounty hunters stepped forward, being after the bounty of the Zoldyck family.

They tried to blow the gate up, but there wasn't even a dent.

Then the security guard appeared, telling them that the gate couldn't be destroyed like that. However, the two bounty hunters stole the key to the 'tiny' gate and opened it, even though the guard advised them not to.

Meanwhile Nero, Kurapica, Gon and Leorio ran over to the security guard, checking if he was alright, after being thrown on the ground.

The bounty hunters walked inside and the gate closed behind them. The guard sighed and stood up, saying:

"Mike will have some extra food today…"

"Mike?" Gon asked.

"Is mike some cat-like animal?" Leorio asked. Then they suddenly heard screams. Not a second later, the 'tiny' gate opened slightly and a huge beast's paw returned the bounty hunter's … _skeletons._

They were shocked, only Nero raised an eyebrow and had a questioning expression.

"What was that?" Kurapica asked, still slightly shocked.

"Judging from the paw, Mike doesn't seem cat-like." Nero responded shrugging.

"You're worried about that?" Leorio face palmed but she just shrugged again. Meanwhile the guard mumbled that Mike would get fat, and the other people panicked.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and get in the bus!" Coco-chan told them.

"You can go. The four of us have decided to stay here." Gon said.

"But-"

"You don't have to worry about us, aunty." Nero told her with a blank face.

"What was that-" Coco-chan wanted to complain, but was dragged inside the bus, which departed now.

~~~…

They walked inside the securety guards's office, who's name was Zebro, telling him that they were friends of Killua, which made him happy.

He told them about Mike, saying that he is hard to control and only listens to orders of the family members, also saying that because Mike was there, he couldn't let them enter.

"You are master Killua's friends. I can't let you turn to skeletons."But Kurapica and Nero noticed that he was lying about something, asking why Mike doesn't attack him.

"I'm not using the keys to enter. The intruders who can't destroy the gate take the keys away from me. I had planned on letting Mike finish them off inside. I'm only here to clean up after Mike." he laughed and took a pull on his cigarette.

"So as long as you don't use the keys, Mike won't attack you. So that means…" Nero started, sitting on a chair with crossed legs, eyeing Zebro suspiciously.

"That the real gate doesn't require a key, right?" Kurapica finished.

"You are absolutely right." he told them. Then they walked outside, standing in front of the huge gate.

Leorio tried to open it, but failed miserably.

"No matter how hard I push or pull, this gate isn't opening!" Leorio shouted, being pissed.

"That's because you're to weak." Zebro said.

"IDIOT! I gave all I had!" Leorio yelled.

"This gate is actually called 'the Gate of Trials'. If you can't open it, you're not qualified to enter the Zoldyck house." Zebro explained, then added, taking his jacked off:

"Now, please watch."He inhaled and pushed as hard as he could, managing to open the first gate. When he stopped pushing, the gate closed automatically.

While telling them that it was harder opening the gate with the increasing age, Nero eyed the gate, while Leroio tried to push it open, again.

"By the way, each side of the door weights about two tons."

"TWO TONS!" Leorio asked, with really wide eyes, being completely shocked, then noticed something. "And you said each one of them?"

"Yes, there are 7 doors in total. Every time another door is added, the weight doubles." Zebro explained.

"… Hmm." Nero stood in front of the door.

"What is it, young lady?" Zebro asked. She turned her head around and asked, being serious:

"Can I try it?"

"If I couldn't do it, then how the hell will you be able to open the gate?" Leorio yelled, mocking her.

"Master Killua opened 3 gates when he returned." Zebro told him.

"12 tons…" Gon said in amazement.

"16 tons…" Kurapica corrected him.

"Just because they're about the same size, doesn't mean she can open it!" Leorio argued. But Nero ignored him, placed her hands on the gate and pushed as hard as she could. However, the gate didn't move an inch.

"Ha! I told you so!" Leorio laughed. Nero snorted annoyed, walked a few steps away from the door, then turned around and kicked the door with all of her strength, and the gate flew open.

"Wah- How? What the hell?" Leorio didn't know what to say, as well as the other three. They just gaped at her, as she stretched herself and the gate closed again.

"How the hell did you do that?" Leorio now asked, still not believing what he just saw.

"Huh? Oh, I knew that I wouldn't be able to push it open, but kicking it is something else." Nero simply answered.

However, after they had finally convinced Zebro to call the Zoldyck residence, he called the manager of the Zoldyck family, but got scolded for it.

"Hey, Zebro-san, would you mind calling him one more time? This time, I'll talk to him." Gon asked. Zebro agreed, and gave Gon the phone.

"Hello? I am a friend of Killua. My name is Gon. Is Killua there?" Gon said, but the manager just said:

"Master Killua doesn't have any friends." Then he hung up. Gon looked at the hone and called again.

"Yes, this is the Zoldyck-" But Gon already shouted, interrupting him:

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THAT KILLUA HAS NO FRIENDS? HURRY UP AND HAVE KILLUA COME OUT HERE!"

Nero, Kurapica and Leorio jumped startled, being surprised at Gon's outburst.

After a while one the phone, Gon hung up, being pissed off. He ran outside and swang his angle pole, wanting to climb over the gate.

His three friends tried to convince him not to go, but then, Zebro interrupted, telling him that he would open the gate of Trial once again for them.

They walked inside together with Zebro, then met Mike. The huge white guard dog was terrifying, not showing any emotions.

"It is just like a machine." Kurapica pointed out, not taking his eyes off Mike.

"You are absolutely right." Zebro agreed, then said:

"Now, we shall keep going. The dorms for the servants is not far ahead. " They walked a little more and arrived at the dorms.

"Now, you can try and open the door." Zebro suggested. Gon tried it, but couldn't open it.

"This door is about 200 kg on each side." Zebro told them. Then Leorio rolled up his sleeves and pushed as hard as he could.

"This- is- easy-" he said and panted, as he opened the door, but then, the door closed again and Leorio bumped his nose.

Shortly after that, they entered, then put on some slippers. Because each of the slippers had a 20kg copper block in them, Kurapica, Gon and Leorio fell flat on their faces.

Nero, who simply walked in, turned around and bend down to them.

"… This is somehow pretty funny to watch."

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><p>YOSH I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D Let's see how their training will go next time, lol XD I hope that I can update in the next 3 days. (School is the enemy of all hobbies xD)<p>

Thank you so much for all the reviews :D ~dances happily~ :D Please give my review button a hug :D Anyway, see ya next time (I hope so :D)


	11. Training? x Guard Dog? x Penguins!

Hey everyone! :D I'm sorry (again -.-) for the late update. I actually wanted to upload chapter 11 yesterday, but I had to think something over and write it again. Anyway, since I want to make it up somehow, I'll uptade chapter 12 a little later today, since I could finish both chapters :D Now please enjoy and I apologize for any confusions or mistakes. I'll try to fix them or explain it proberly. :D

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's. Also, I don't support any violence whatsover^^**

* * *

><p><strong>Journey Into The Unknown 11 Training? x Guard Dog? x Penguins!<br>**

Zebro offered them tea and Leorio took the cup, almost falling over.

"What are you doing?" Gon asked and Leorio clenched his teeth.

"Don't ask me. Just try yourself." They tried to lift the teacups, which were a lot heavier than they looked. Nero almost lost her balance, but caught herself.

"To be able to live here, we are in constant training." Zebro told them.

"Training? That's pure torture." Nero said in disbelief, eyeing the teacup.

"It's true. The world inside the "Gate of Trial" is not the same as the common world." Kurapica pointed out.

"You are a Hunter, more or less, and you're afraid of something like this?" Leorio asked somehow angrily, then wanted to

sip on his tea, even though Nero tried to warn him. However, Leorio didn't listen and he fell over, because of the heavy teacup.

"Hunters?" Siquant, Zebro's co-worker asked.

"Yes, we are all Hunters." Gon answered friendly.

"_Well, more or less…_ " Nero thought.

"How boring." Siquant remarked, pissing Nero and Leorio off.

"What was that?" they asked irritated in union.

"You didn't really open the 'Gate of Trial' right? People without skill ate so useless." Siquant said.

"What the hell?" Nero was about to snap. Insulting her was one thing, but insulting her job, her gramps, or her friends just pissed her off.

"If we open the 'Gate of Trial', will you shut up?" Leorio asked yelling.

"To be talked down by someone like him is just…" Nero hissed.

"_Even though I could open it… "_

"I want to try it, too! I will try as many times as it takes to open the gate! If I can't open it, I feel like I'm not worth being here!" Gon said determined.

"I know how you feel. But I am worried about the amount of time we have left." Kurapica stated.

"Time?" Gon asked and Leorio started poking his forehead, while saying:

"That's right. I don't know _which idiot _insisted that it's not time to use his Hunter Licence yet! So now we had to come with a tourist visa!"

"That means you can only stay one month. But you are still young. Do you want to have some special training here?" Zebro suggested.

"Can we?" Gon asked, smiling brightly.

"Do you wish to?"

"YES!" Gon shouted happily.

"We will trouble you then!" Kurapica said thankfully.

"We are depending on you!" Leorio stated.

"I don't wanna look like a bodybuilder…." Nero sighed.

"Alright, then we will start right now." Zebro said.

"YES SIR!"

Then Zebro searched for something and returned with weights.

"Wear this all the time, except while sleeping. We'll begin with 50 kg. As you get used to it, we'll increase the weight. And with this, please clean the house." he said and showed them the weights for their bodies, then some things for cleaning.

"That's easy." Leorio said confidently, but he thought that his backbone cracked, as he took one of the mobs.

"The mob and the broom weights 25 kg each and the bucket 30 kg."

In the end, they wore heavy vests, weights on their legs, and on the arms, having about 100 kg to carry. Then Zebro left them alone for cleaning.

However, saying that they would clean was easier said then done, since they made more chaos instead of cleaning.

"With this speed, we will be working till dawn." Kurapica pointed out, trying to move his arm.

"When they said special training… they just wanted to use us as maids, right?" Leorio pointed out.

"Maybe that's what it meant" Kurapica agreed. Meanwhile Nero just prayed that she wouldn't look like a bodybuilder after a month…

~~~10 days later~~~

Leorio tried to open the 'Gate of Trial', pushing as hard as he could. The doors even moved a bit, but closed automatically, again.

"It's not working." Leorio gasped of air.

"Seems like it won't be long." Zebro cheered him up, then added, pushing the gate open:

"It's almost time to end my shift."

Then Kurapica tried it, but couldn't open the gate, either.

"Still not working. "

"Why won't it just open? It's already been 10 days. Did I gain any strength? Leorio asked annoyed, looking at his biceps. Nero raised an eyebrow, while Gon eyed his own biceps. Then Leorio got an idea, running in front of the intruders gate.

"What about entering from here?"

"What about it?" Gon asked.

"I mean entering from this locked up door."

"But if you enter from there, Mike will attack you." Gon told him.

"Huh?"

"Mike. Big, white, evil guard dog. Has pretty sharp teeth, which will hang in your butt if you enter from there." Nero explained slowly, with a bored expression, as she pointed lamely at the intruders door.

"I can choose not to enter after I opened it." Leorio told them.

"Oh, yeah…" Gon said and Leorio inhaled, putting all is strength in pushing the door open. However, because he got much stronger, he fell over- together with thee door, breaking it and landed flat on his face. But since Leorio entered through the intruders door- even if it was unmeant- Mike noticed it.

"Leorio, hurry, Mike is coming!" Gon shouted, who had a sixth sense for something like this.

"What? Leorio, hurry!""Stand up, idiot!"

Leorio, who meanwhile rubbed his face, despite hearing his friends shouting that he should stand up already, had to jump out of the way, being almost crushed by Mike's paw.

Mike looked under his paw, looking for a squished Leorio, while Nero, Kurapica and Gon looked for Leorio, seeing him inside some bushes.

Nero looked in Mike's eyes, and something inside of her remembered something unpleasant, that made her want to run away from the emotionless looking guard dog.

"_This gaze. It's almost as cold as _his_… I have to move, but my legs just won't… But I have to help Leorio!"_

But while she thought about something, also trying to move her legs, knowing that she had to help Leorio, Gon started running, Mike following him.

"Gon!" Kurapica shouted.

"What the hell are you doing? Come back here!" Nero shouted. "Che!" Nero gathered up her courage, and ran after Gon and Mike.

"_I'm so stupid. I know I'm faster then Mike, yet … Stupid girl! Since when am I letting my memories defeat me?" _she mentally slapped herself.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"We have to help them! Can't we do anything? Isn't there a way to stop Mike?" Kurapica, who seemed to have lost his calm, panicking slightly, asked Siquant, who were running after Nero and Gon, too.

"No. Mike is a hound. He won't stop until he kills his target." Siquant said, not knowing what to do.

"Oh no! Look! Over there!" Leoio shouted, panicked as well and pointed at something…

~~~Back by Nero~~~

"Fooey! Sit! Down!" she shouted at the white guard dog, who wouldn't even bother to look at her. "This is the reason why I'm not keeping any pets!" Nero hissed to herself.

Now Gon jumped, trying to avoid Mike, but got stuck in a limb with his plastered arm. Mike saw that and came closer, heading straight for Gon.

"Damn it!"

Nero jumped. She jumped at least 20 meters far and 10 meters high, then landed on the limb Gon was stuck, stunning her other friends greatly, who were following them.

…

"Did she just jump… or did she fly?" Leorio asked, as his eyes almost fell out of his sockets.

"_That girl… she's good." _Siquant thought, stunned as well.

"She jumped so far!" Kurapica said in amazement, but already started wondering how she did it…

…

"Hold still!" Nero commanded Gon, then kicked the limb, freeing Gon. She then grabbed him, and started running. When she looked over her shoulder, Nero saw that Mike followed them.

"Wahhh! I forgot! I came through the intruders door as well!" Nero wanted to smack herself.

"_I don't want to use 'that', but_… _there is no other choice…" _Nero thought, biting her underlip, then stopped with a slid on top of a cliff.

She stood in front of Gon, whom she had let down, and Mike attacked them, jumping. Nero made herself ready to counterattack, and Gon looked at the ground, having wide eyes as he saw her shadow.

"_Did her shadow… just moved on its own?" _But the 12 year old snapped out of his thoughts, as they heard a whistle.

Mike suddenly stopped, moving his ears, then ran into the direction the whistle came from.

Gon and Nero looked at each other, then Gon sank on his knees, sighing distressed, yet relieved.

"_I almost used it…." _Nero thought and Gon noticed that she was spacing out, yet somehow… looked sad…

"Nero?" Gon tried to get her attention. She looked at him, snapping out of her thoughts and looked at him. Then Nero squatted down next to him and grabbed his cheeks, pulling on them.

"Are you outta your mind? If you wanna play tag, do it with someone that doesn't have the intention of using your bones as toothpicks!" Nero hissed angrily, as she still pulled Gon's face into weird grimaces, causing him to talk funny.

"I'm vewy sowwy." Gon apologized, noticing that, despite being mad, Nero had worried about him.

"Nero!"

"Gon!"

They looked up and saw that Kurapica, Leorio and Siquant came running. They stopped in front of a panting Gon and a tired, yet irritated looking Nero.

"You two are crazy!" Leorio yelled, but then sighed relieved, seeing both of his friends alive. Gon grinned and rubbed the back of his head, while Nero said nothing and just shrugged. Kurapica sighed stressed out, then asked, as he noticed that Nero somehow looked a little depressed:

"Are you two alright?"

"Alive and kicking." Nero answered.

"Sure!" Gon said energetically.

"You know, I really regret saying that, but… Leorio is right. Have you two lost your minds? How can you endanger yourself so much?" Kurapica started scolding them, which he did at least for 5 minutes.

"What a worrywart…" Nero remarked.

"_I never knew he could talk so much…"_ Nero thought in disbelief, but then it seemed like she smiled slightly to herself.

"Thanks for worrying about us."

"Of course. That goes without saying." Kurapica said, and was a little confused, but was incredibly relived seeing them alright.

~~~The next morning~~~

"This is the gate of the Zoldyck family. A rumour says, that once you enter, you can never come out alive, again." Coco-chan told the ones who took the tour.

The tourists expression just became blank, as one of them asked, pointing at the "Gate of Trials":

"Who are those people?"

Coco-chan turned around, and her face fell, too as she saw Gon opening the Gate of Trials.

"Alright, keep trying!" Leorio cheered him on.

"Gon, just a little more!" Kurapica told him encouragingly.

"Just imagine the door is Leorio and he stole your favourite angle pole!" Nero at least tried to be encouraging.

"..."

"Why are you taking me as an example?" Leorio asked her in disbelief, being slightly annoyed.

"Because I imagine it being your head too, while I kick it open." she responded with a monotone voice.

"…You are just evil."

Then Gon managed to open the door.

"Success! I did it!" Gon cheered.

"Good job, Gon!" Kurapica told him.

"Alright!" Leorio cheered.

"Now you've all passed the trial. It's so amazing. It only been 20 days." Zebro said.

"Leorio is even more amazing. He could open the second gate, too." Gon said cheerfully.

"Of course. He is a _muscle-brain, _a pumpkin brain with too many muscles, or whatever you wanna call it." Nero remarked.

"Are you trying to make my angry?"

"… Maybe.." Then Nero turned around, seeing the tourists and Coco-chan's dull faces.

"Ahh..., the old hag." Nero waved at her with a blank expression. When she saw Coco-chan's angry, yet smiling face, she stuck her tongue out, pissing her off more.

"This is refreshing~"

~~~A little later~~~

"Zebro.-san, thank you so much!" Gon thanked Zebro and his co-worker.

"It's no problem. Be careful on your way." Zebro told them.

"We'll be leaving now.!" Gon waved Kurapica bowed briefly and Nero saluted briefly.

~~~…

They had to walk a while and they thought they would never reach the main house.

"I don't wanna be a gardener here…" Nero snorted annoyed, as she looked around, then felt that someone plucked on her verst.

"Nero, err... I wanted to ask you something." Gon started.

"What is it?"

"When Mike attacked us, your shadow… It seemed like it moved on its own." Gon said and Nero wanted to slap herself.

"_Damn it! If I tell them now what it was, then they maybe fail the secret Hunter exam… But I want to tell them so badly.."_

"What do you mean? I moved a lot, so of course my shadow would move." Nero said with an inattentive look, thinking of a way to change the subject.

"_But she didn't move much that time… It felt more like her shadow wanted to crawl onto her… or swallow her… As if her shadow tried to merge with her feet. It was somehow al little bit… intimidating._" Gon thought.

Kurapica, who talked with Leorio, looked at them, having heard what they had talked about and looked in Nero's eyes, noticing that she was somehow troubled talking about it.

"Don't worry. We can wait until you want to talk about it. You don't have to feel guilty." Kurapica tried to cheer her up.

She looked at him and smiled slightly.

"Okay. Thanks."

Then she continued walking and Leorio just looked puzzled, as he asked, looking after her:

"What was that?" Then he looked at Kurapica, who flushed a little red after seeing her smile. Leorio started to grin and bend down to him, then said with a mischievous tone:

"Admit it already~! You fell for her! And no excuses!"

"Stop this nonsense. We don't have time for your stupidity." Kurapica said, being annoyed, but tried to hide a blush.

Leorio snickered, kind of evil, then started whistling and continued walking.

"_Ridiculous. And even if it is true… it's just not possible." _Kurapica thought and shrugged off his thoughts and Leorio's words.

At least for the time being...

~~~A little later~~~

After they had walked even more, they met a red-haired girl, named Kanaria, who was blocking the way.

"Who are you?" Gon asked, but she didn't answer.

"I'm Gon. These people behind me are Leorio, Kurapica and Nero. We came to see Killua and want to go ahead to the main house." Gon introduced himself and his friends, but she just said:

"Leave at once." They looked at her, and were kind of surprised by her sudden words. "You are on private property. If you don't leave, I'll have to force you." Kanaria continued.

"Hey, he asked for your name. You should answer that first." Leorio complained.

"I had no intentions of knowing your names."

"_This won't be easy." _Nero thought, but stayed calm.

"Why you…" Leorio was pissed.

"Don't force her!" Kurapica interrupted him.

"I'll say it once more. Leave at once. You are on Zoldyck property." Kanaria told them again.

"But the only thing we could do was to enter without permission, since the manager wouldn't let us in." Nero told her, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"You may be right. However, you may not cross this line. If you try to go any further, I'll have to expel you." she said and drew a line in the sand.

Now Gon stepped forward, saying: "Leave it to me."

However, as soon as he crossed the line, Kanaria hit him with her staff, sending him flying.

"Bitch! What the hell are you doing!" Leorio yelled at her.

"To kick you out." she answered with an indifferent face.

"You don't feel guilty at all!" Leorio yelled and tried to attack her.

"Hey!"

"Don't be rash!" Both, Nero and Kurapica tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen to them, only to get hit as well, straight in the face.

"This time, I'll just give a warning. But there won't be a second time." Kanaria said and turned around.

…

Gon and Leorio washed their faces and cooled themselves down on a nearby river, while Kurapica just slowly shook his head and Nero leaned against a tree with crossed arms, at first keeping quiet, until Leorio said:

"Damn it. What a strange girl. It hurts."

"Who told you to be rash?" Kurapica asked, still mentally face palming at his actions.

"I can't stay calm like you." he responded.

"And who told you to be stupid?" Nero asked mockingly and sighed.

"Why you…! Could you at least try to be considerate? My face really hurts!" Leorio asked irritated.

"Your face hurts? So that's the case. I thought your _brain_ did."

"I don't know who's more irritating. You or that red haired girl!" he yelled, which she successfully ignored, turning her head away.

"Anyway, if she had hit you for real, you could whistle through a hole in your head." Nero continued.

"Huh?"

"She means that both of us believe that she didn't hit as strong." Kurapica explained.

"I think she didn't even use half of her strength." Gon agreed.

"What did you say?" Leorio was stunned, remembering how hard she had hit him.

"Yeah, but why didn't she kick us out?" Kurapica questioned her actions.

Then Gon told them what Siquant had told him a while ago, saying that a 10 year old girl had eliminated more than one hundred people before they could enter the Zoldyck's 'garden'.

"Gon, you knew and still dared to come?" Leorio asked shocked, then added: "Even if I had ten lives, it wouldn't be enough!"

"Do you realise that you are scared of a girl? What a strong guy you are…" Nero remarked sarcastically.

"Anyway, I'll still go and challenge her one more time." Gon stated determined.

"So, do you have any plans?" Leorio asked him.

"Hmm…"

"Anyway, we will go there again and try to convince her. Then we will make further plans." Kurapica said.

"Then it's decided. Let's go!" Leorio said.

When they walked over to Kanaria, again, they noticed something lying under a tree.

"That is… Killua's…" Gon started, looking at Killua's skateboard.

"What happened here?" Leorio questioned.

"That's odd." Nero said.

"Yeah. It's difficult to imagine that Killua would leave it in a place like this." Kurapica pointed out.

"Did you come here to get hit because you hadn't had enough yet?" Kanaria asked.

"No. We don't want to fight you. We're only here to see Killua." Gon told her.

"Maybe you won't believe us, but we are Killua's friends." Kurapica said.

"We all met during the Hunter exam." Nero added.

"That has nothing to do with me. I only obey my master's commands." she said.

"Don't be unreasonable. If this goes on, wouldn't you be the same as Mike?" Leorio sighed annoyed.

"That's right."

Gon walked over to her, again, Kurapica and Leorio brought out their weapons, while Nero didn't take her eyes off her, being ready for an attack.

She hit Gon, sending him flying just like before. The others made themselves ready to attack, but Gon stopped them, saying:

"Please don't interfere. I'm alright." then added, telling Kanaria: "We don't have any intention to fight. We just want to see Killua!" and walked over to her again, only to get hit another time.

"Why is she holding back?" Nero asked herself, hating to see Gon being hit over and over again, but noticed, too, that the girl was holding back each time.

"I don't know. It's not easy to figure that out. Just look at her indifferent face." Leorio said.

"If you can simply determine someone by there appearance, I won't figure out, even if I thought of it for the rest of my life, how you managed to become a Hunter." Kurapica remarked.

"Eh?" Leorio grimaced annoyed.

Then Gon got hit another time, and Leorio had enough. He wanted to attack her, too, but Gon grabbed his wrist and shook his head. When Leorio looked in his eyes, he knew was determined, and wouldn't give up.

And so they had to watch how Gon got hit over and over again, until his face was swollen and the sun began to set.

When Kanaria had hit him once again, she looked in Gon's eyes, seeing that his determination wouldn't waver a bit and twitched.

"Enough! Stop it! It's useless!" she shouted, but seemed to hesitate, as she hit Gon another time.

She looked at the other three, and said:

"You are his friends! Shouldn't you stop him?"

But they, too, were determined to see Killua, looking as determined as Gon.

Then Gon suddenly hit the stone pillar next to her, braking it and shocking her, while crossing the line.

"My foot crosses the line. You don't hit me?" he asked, but she started shaking and Gon looked at her, saying:

"You are not like Mike. You can hide your feelings, but you still have a heart. When I say Killua's name, your eyes show gentleness."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she said:

"Please, save Master Killua!"

Not a second later, she was shot and fell on the ground, which shocked the others. Leorio ran over to her, looking if she was alright. Then suddenly someone said:

"Geez, how can a servant blabber so much?"

They looked up and saw a woman with a yellow dress, and a small boy, which looked very girly, stood next to her.

"_Cyborg?" _Nero thought and had to look twice at her, before really believing what she just saw.

"How is she, Leorio?" Kurapica asked, while Leorio still looked at Kanaria.

"She is just knocked out." Leorio answered, sighing relieved.

"You know, it's impolite to come an behave childish here. You are Gon, right? I heard about you from Illumi. We told Killua you were here about three weeks ago. I also have a massage from him. 'Thank you for coming here, but right now, I can't face you. Sorry'." the woman, named Kikyo, said.

"…"

I've waited to introduce myself. I'm Killua's mother." Kikyo continued and Nero almost snorted with a laugher, but inhaled, calming herself down.

"_Mother? I though she was the cleaning robot…"_

"And his name is Kalluto." she added.

"_Wait, that's a boy? What the hell? The last past months sure were 'gender confusing'…" _Nero thought in disbelief.

"Why can't we see Killua?" Nero asked, still eyeing her as if she broke out of an asylum.

"Because he's in an isolation room." she answered, but suddenly, she started to shout hysterically:

"But? Father, why are you disturbing me? NO, you shouldn't untie him!" Then she told Nero and the others, who were just looking dumbstruck:

"I have an important matter to settle. Goodbye. Come back if you want."

"One moment please. We'll stay in the surroundings for about another 10 days. Could you please tell that to Killua?" Gon requested.

"… Alright, I'll tell him. Goodbye…" Kikyo answered and left. Kalluto glared at them for a second, but left, too, when Kikyo called his name.

"I shouldn't say that, but Killua's mother is kind of suspicious. Gon, it would upset me to go back now. Let's just bust in." Leorio said.

"Kind of?" Nero repeated as if he was nuts, and Gon said, looking at Kanaria:

"Yes, but it that case, it's Kanaria who will get in trouble."

"… You're right."

"Don't worry. I'm going to lead you to HQ first. From there, we can call the main house. Hopefully, Master Zeno will answer the phone.." Kanaria told them, after she woke up.

_"Zeno? I heard that name before.._. Gramps said something about it." Nero thought, but shrugged it off.

~~~Later~~~

The sun had already set, and they still waked to the HQ. After another while, they finally reached the headquarters.

"It's up there." Kanaria said.

"That's HQ? I thought that building was Zoldyck's mansion." Leorio said with wide eyes, looking at the huge building.

"Assassin's Inc. We aim to please." Nero joked sarcastically yet calmly, whistling in amazement.

"The hole building is the HQ." Kanaria said.

"Eh? SO Killua is not here?" Gon asked.

"Yes, the main house is further inside." Kanaria told them.

"We sure live in different worlds." Kurapica pointed out, having wide eyes as well. When the came nearer to the building, 5 guys in suits seemed to await them already.

"I have the feeling they're gonna make a fuss over this." Leorio pointed out.

"Yeah, and I don't think we are welcome here…" Kurapica agreed nd Nero thought, eyeing them:

_"5 penguins in a row. How nice..."_

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><p>I hope you enjoyed this chapter^^ All of you probably know what I mean with 'that', but it will be explained in (I think) chapter 13, anyway.<p>

Well, and "He" ... *evil grin* I thought about it and my head proberbly started soming XD 'He' is not an HxH character, but another OC.

I just didn't know if it would be any good to let someone from Nero's past appear. But why whould we have anything against an evil but hot antagonist? XD Anyway, he will appear a little later and won't make it that easy for Nero...

Another thing to Kalluto (Killua's little brother) He really is a boy, not a girl, although I couldn't believe that myself at first XD But it was stated that the Zoldyck family has **5 sons**.

Anyway, please give my review button a hug :D See ya next time! *waves*


	12. Game? x Reunion? x Farewell!

Hey everyone! :D I'm not gonna bother you for long. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I apologize for any mistakes or confusions :D I will try to fix them or to explain them :D

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's. Also, I don't support any violence^^**

* * *

><p><strong>Journey into the Unknown 12 - Game? x Reunion? x Farewell!<br>**

"Their status might me higher that Zebro's or Kanaria's." Leorio pointed out, looking at the 5 man in suits.

"In any case, we must be careful." Kurapica said a they walked over to them.

However, much to their surprise, the 5 males bowed and their leader said:

"I'm sorry about what has happened before. Ma'am has ordered us to treat you as official guest."

They walked inside and were stunned seeing the luxurious room.

"This is the employee's quarters?" Leorio asked in stunned.

"Yes, you may rest as much as you want." one of them told them. Then Goto, the manager of the place, introduced himself.

"If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask." Goto told them.

"Thank you for your hospitality, but we came here to see Killua. If it's possible, we want you to take us to the main residence as soon as possible." Leorio said.

"I believe that will be unnecessary." Goto told them calmly.

"Huh?"

"Why is that?" Kurapica asked.

"Because Master Killua is on his way here." Goto answered.

"Great! We can finally meet Killua!" Gon cheered.

"Yeah." Nero agreed, hinting a smile while looking at Gon, but then her face became serious again, as she looked at Goto.

"_What is that guy up to? I can't tell what he's thinking…"_

"I don't know how Killua will react when he sees us!" Leorio said, somehow hyped up.

"Me too." Kurapica chuckled, then noticed that Nero was on guard, who was sitting next to him.

"But… I think everyone will be bored, by just sitting here." Goto then said, and suggested: "I have an idea. Why don't we play a game?"

"A game?" Gon asked.

"Yes. This is only a suggestion. It isn't a violent game. I hope you will participate in this game." Goto responded. Nero actually wanted to object, even if she was curious, but Gon already said:

"No problem."

_"This kid...!" _Nero mentally face palmed.

"Then, let's begin." Goto said and took something out of his jacket. They looked surprised when they saw that it was a coin.

Goto flipped the coin in the air and caught it, then asked:

"Now tell me. Which hand is the coin in?"

"In the left hand." they answered in union, only Nero sounded rather unenthusiastic, resting her elbow on the armrest and her head in her hand.

"Correct." he said and showed them the coin. Then he did it one more time, only a little faster.

"Which one now?"

"This time was a little faster." Leorio stated, somehow amused.

"But we can still see it." Gon said.

"It's still in the left hand!" they said in union again.

"You four are quite impressive." Goto praised them.

"_Really?" _Nero thought and eyed him suspiciously.

"This kind of game is nothing." Leorio said proudly.

"Then, I'll start being a little more serious." Goto said

"Serious? Then what was that before?" Leorio asked a little confused.

"Just a warm up. This time, you'll have to watch carefully." Goto said and flipped the coin again When he caught it, it was so fast, that their eyes almost couldn't follow his movements.

"You better think carefully before answering. This time we are playing for real." Goto said, and somehow, his face became darker.

"For real`?" Leoio asked.

"Yes. If you guess wrong, you are out." Goto said and the others tensed up.

"The truth is I have been taking care of Master Killua since he was born. Honestly, the thought of you taking Master Killua with you… I hate you for it. Now hurry up. Which hand?" Goto continued, sounding intimidating.

Leorio was about to answer, but Kurapica said, interrupting him:

"Left!"

Goto clenched his left fist and then showed him the coin, which he had bend.

"I will make a decision before Master Killua arrives. I will use our method to judge you. You have no choice but to accept this." Goto said, with a dark expression, taking out a second coin and his co-workers took out their weapons.

One of them held his blade on Kanaria's throat and Gon wanted to help her, but Goto already shouted not sounding very friendly:

"Don't move! Anyone who dares to move will have his head cut off. If Master Killua arrives and the four off you are already out, I'll tell him you have already left. And you will never see each other gain."

"We understand. You can start now." Kurapica told him, but had tensed up, too. When Goto threw the coin another time, he was mayn times faster than before.

"_Using ordinary eyesight, one wouldn't be able to see!" _Kurapica thought, trying to see his movements.

"_No good. I can't see it at all!" _Leorio though and was pretty nervous.

"_What a pain. I will have to use 'that'…" _Nero thought, feeling uncomfortable, but kept her calm face.

"Now tell me, which hand is it?" Goto asked, but they kept quiet for a second.

"Answer! 1, 2, 3... Cut her head off!" Goto commanded, looking at Kanaria.

"Right." Nero answered calmly, then exhaled.

"And I guess left!" Leorio shouted.

"I guess right." Gon said.

"Me too!" Kurapica said. Goto opened his right hand and showed them the coin.

"You're out." he said to Leorio.

"It's up to you guys now." Leorio told them and was angry with himself.

"Here I go." Goto said and threw the coin anew. Nero was just about to use 'it', as Goto said, shooting her a glare:

"And no tricks."

"_Damn it…"_Her friends looked at her, and her somehow troubled expression, then had to watch Goto again.

"Which hand is it?" he asked, and they really had no idea, so they had to guess.

"_If I could just use 'it', then it would be no problem!" _Nero thought angrily and had the urge to kick Goto.

"Left." Nero hissed.

"Then I pick the right hand." Kurapica told him.

"I guess left." Gon said. The coin was in Goto's left hand, so only Nero and Gon were left. Now he threw the coin again, being even faster and Nero and Gon had to guess once more.

"Right." Nero hissed, trying to stay calm.

"Alright, then I pick left!" Gon said. The coin was in Goto's left hand and Gon was the only one left now.

"Even if you make random guesses, if each one chooses one side, then there won't be two people out at the same time. And now, only one person is left." Goto said, sounding pleased.

"_We'll have to rely on Gon's intuition this time…" _Nero thought.

"Here I go." Goto said and wanted to threw the coin in the air, but Gon interrupted him.

"Leorio, give me your knife!" Gon said to Leorio, then added, talking to Goto: "Don't worry. I won't do something suspicious." Leorio gave him his knife, and Gon cut his eyelid, and it started bleeding.

"_I see. If it's bleeds, it won't be swollen_…" Kurapica thought because Gon's eye wasn't swollen anymore, he could see better, being ready for the next round.

Then, how about this?" Goto asked an stood up, while two other of his co-workers walked beside him. They threw the coin in the air together, and Gon had to guess who would have the coin, in which hand.

"Never trust a man in a suit…" Nero hissed and Kurapica had to hold in a laugher, despite the situation.

"Hey!" Leorio yelled.

"Now tell me, who's hand is it in?" Goto asked Gon. But just started grinning and jerking his thimb over his shoulder, pointing at the man behind him, then said:

"It's in the hand of the man behind us." They looked surprised, but Gon was right.

"Excellent." Goto said and they applauded. The four friends looked puzzled at each other, as the other congratulated them.

Then suddenly someone said:

"Oi, Gon!" Their head shot up and Gon smiled brightly.

"Killua!"

"It seems like we have played too long. I'm really sorry." Goto said, being as friendly as earlier.

"Played!" Nero said in disbelief.

"But.. Didn't we play long enough that we forgot about the time?" Goto added.

"What you did was only a game to entertain us?" Kurapica asked.

"Yes." Goto nodded.

Nero and Kurapica looked at each other, being a little stunned, then looked to Goto, again.

"It really has been a long time! But, damn I'm exhausted." Leorio sighed.

"I'm very sorry." Goto apologized again and bowed.

"What are you talking about? We had fun." Leorio told him, snorting amused.

"Fun? The only one who had fun is Goto!" Nero face palmed and leaned back.

"I'm very sorry."

"It's okay, just don't shock me like that anymore." Nero sighed.

Then the door opened, and Killua walked inside the room.

"Killua!"

"Gon! Nero, Kurapica, Leorio!" Killua ran over to them, then said, being hyped up:

"Long tome no see! You managed to get in here, but Gon, you should see your face!"

"Yours isn't so great either!"

It was nice seeing the two of them together, all carefree and excited.

"Oh yeah, let's leave here quickly! I don't care were we go, as long as we leave here. Mom won't stop nagging if I stayed!" Killua told them, wanting to leave as soon as possible, then told Goto that he may not follow him, not matter what his mom said and Goto nodded.

"As you say Master. Please be careful."

They left the room, but Gon ran back and Nero waited at the door, leaning against the doorframe.

"Goto-san, will you be lonely if Killua isn't here?" Gon asked and Goto answered politely:

"No, we are but employees. We don't have any personal feeling for our employers."

"What a liar." Nero grinned and Gon agreed.

Then Goto took out another coin and flipped it in the air again, then asked:

"Now, which hand?"

"I think it's the left one." Gon responded, pointing at Goto's left hand. Goto opened his hands and the coin was in his right hand.

"No way!"

"That's right. It's a deceitful trick. The world isn't as honest as it seems. Be careful." Goto said with a serious face. Nero's face became serious, too, and she remembered something… But before she could space out, Goto said, as he bowed:

"Please, take good care of Master Killua."

"You take care, too." Nero saluted briefly and waked after the others together with Gon.

~~~Late in the evening~~~

"Yeah, I also fell for it. When the truth is revealed, it can be quite annoying." Killua told them, referring to Goto's coin trick, while being in the train with the others.

"I think it was something like this." Kurapica now said and flipped a coin in the air himself. He caught it and asked: "Which hand?"

"I think it's the left one." Gon answered. Kurapica opened his hands and the coin was in his right hand.

"Why? How come?" Gon asked confused.

"Actually, Goto had two coins in his hand. One of them his hidden in his right hand and he flipped with the other one." Nero started to explain, who sat on the armrest of the couch, sitting next to Kurapica.

"He also makes his opponent believe that the coin fell into his left hand. Now all that's left is a little trick. When he asked which hand the coin is in, he used the opportunity to raise his fists above the opponent's eye-level. Then, as if nothing happened, he slipped the coin in his sleeve. So, it's obvious that the other coin would be in the right hand." Kurapica explained.

"That's right!" Killua agreed.

"How annoying!" Gon said sulking and felt cheated.

"But I think Goto only cheated in the last round. Because, even though it's a game, he hates cheating." Killua told them.

"I think so, too." Gon agreed.

~~~Later~~~

Nero, who was way to lazy to ask for a separated room, again, just decided to sleep next to Gon and Killua, who wanted her to sleep in the middle. And so, she was being used as a pillow by both of them, who huddled up close to her.

"Do I look like a pillow?" Nero asked herself sarcastically, as Killua and Gon moved crisscross, but still used her as a pillow. Then Killua started to mumble something and opened his eyes.

"Oi, big sis? Are you awake?"

"Uh huh... " Nero mumbled, already half asleep.

"Say Nero, do you have any idea how to make money in a short time?" Killua asked her.

"In a short time? Well, there is something that could be in your and Gon's interest..." Nero started, putting a finger on her chin.

"What is it?" Killua asked, being curious.

"Have you ever heard of the Celestial Tower?" Nero asked and Killua's eyes widened.

"Yes! Geez, how stupid am I? Thanks." Killua said and fell asleep again. Nero opened one of her eyes and looked at Gon and Killua, then sighed and fell aslpee herself.

She never was a person who could sleep very good, usually always being on guard, but whenever she was with her friends, Nero felt safe and could sleep through the night...

~~~The next day~~~

"Gon, do you have any plans?" Leorio asked Gon, as all of them were in the airport.

"Are you going to look for your father? Or are you going home?" Kurapica asked.

"No," Gon said and took out the plate that he got from Hisoka. "I want to return this to Hisoka. This number sheet and the hit he gave me. I need to do this before I go look for my father or go to see Mito-san."

"Hmm… And do you know where Hisoka is?" Killua asked and Gon's face fell.

"Err…"

"Geez, stupid." Killua sighed.

"There was no doubt about it." Nero shrugged, but smiled wryly.

"Gon, I know where he is." Kurapica suddenly said.

"Eh? Really?" Gon asked hopefully.

"He told me personally. It was after the information meeting." Kurapica told them and Nero looked a little worried.

"September 1st, I'll wait for you at York Shin City." Kurapica told them what Hisoka had said.

"York Shin?"

"I can meet him if I go there?" Gon asked with wide eyes.

"I believe he will appear." Kurapica affirmed.

"But before September 1st, there is still half a year." Gon interposed.

"Is there anything special in York Shin City?" Killua asked.

"You don't know?" Nero asked a little surprised.

"Huh?"

"It has the biggest auction in the world!" Leorio flicked his fingers.

"That's right. From September 1st to 10th, people will bring any kind of national treasures and rare artefacts. It's a place where world's money accumulates." Kurapica explained.

"Ugh, I hate that auction…" Nero sighed distressed and could have cried.

"Huh? Why is that?"

"I have to go there since I'm 12, usually for some kind of Job for the Hunter Association, or another job. And sometimes I see things that came form Sunleth Waterscape. It's pretty depressing to watch that the treasures of my homeland get sold."

Then Nero turned around and added, shouting, while ruffling her hair in frustration: "Also, I hate crowds!"

They chuckled at her actions, but then, Leorio asked Kurapica, being serious, again:

"Will the Genei Ryodan be there, too?"

"I think so. At least, those with relations will go there." Kurapica answered and his face was serious.

"So, what will you do, Kurapica?" Gon asked his blond friend.

"I'll be leaving. Since we found Killua, I need to earn some money to participate in the auction." Kurapica answered.

"Make money?" Leorio repeated.

"Yeah. I'll look for a job as an official Hunter." Kurapica said, seeming optimistic. Now Nero felt completely guilty and her eyelid began to twitch annoyed.

"Alright! I give up!"

They looked at her, and were puzzled at her sudden change of mood.

"I'll tell you this because I care about you. Just a piece of advice, no sarcastic comment this time: You guys shouldn't relax just yet. That's all I can tell you for now."

Now the others were even more confused, and Killua said:

"I don't understand girls."

"Yeah, they have illogical minds…" Leorio pointed out, both whispering to each other.

"Woman are meant to be respected, not to be understood. So just do what I tell you." Nero said irritated and snorted annoyed.

"Then, Let's meet up in York Shin! I'll be there!" Gon said cheerfully.

"Yes. If I see Hisoka before then, I'll contact you as soon as possible." Kurapica told him.

"Thank you!"

"Well, then. I think I'll go home, too!" Leorio said and grinned.

"You are also leaving?" Gon asked surprised.

"Because I always wanted to become a doctor, and thanks to this Licence, if I pass the exam, I won't have to pay any enormous tui tuition fees. So after I get home, I'll have to study hard!" Leorio told them and laughed.

"I see… You better work hard, Leorio! Nero, what about you? Will you leave, too?"

"Hmm, I don't know yet… Oh maybe I should check my phone. I remember turning it off after getting into the Zoldyck's mansion…." Nero said and thought in horror about all the calls she must have had received meanwhile.

She turned on her phone and checked a random massage.

"NERO! WHY AREN'T YOU CALLING? DID YOU FORGET ABOUT YOUR GRANDPA? WHAHA!" Nero had to cover her ear, hearing the loud, crying voice of Netero.

"Damn you gramps, that's embarrassing!" she hissed at her phone, then sighed and said, being annoyed, yet depressed:

"Seems like I have to go and see what gramps wants from me. After that, I'll contact you."

"Damn it! Big sis is leaving too! That's just boring!" Killua complained.

"Yeah, but although I'll be a bit lonely, I guess it should be this way…" Gon said and were depressed as well.

"Alright! The next time we all meet.. On the 1st September at York Shin City!"

"Let's meet again, then!" Kurapica said and held his hand out. They all agreed and put their hand together in a circle they made.

"Well, then, goodbye! See ya around!" Nero said and gave Gon and Killua a hug, though she hesitated for a moment, since this mush wasn't her thing at all.

"Yeah, until then, big sis!" Killua said and Gon nodded, smiling.

"And you, you better study hard, or I will hammer it into your head! Do your best!" Nero hit Leorio friendly on his shoulder and he head-locked her, rubbing his knuckles in her head.

"If you guys believe me or not, I'll miss this evil shrimp! She's almost like my little sister!"

"Don't call me shrimp, you immature old man!" Nero hissed and freed herself, but gave him a hug even though she was slightly annoyed. Then she turned to Kurapica, and didn't really know what to say.

"Well, err…"

"Nero, please take care. I'm looking forward of seeing you again on September 1st. I hope we can contact each other sometimes." Kurapica said and smiled at her.

"Yes! Please take care of yourself, too. I'll definitely contact you, if you contact me." she answered, smiling, too and gave him a hug, even tough she felt embarrassed.

She felt her pulse rate going up and wondered if her heart would jump out of her chest, praying that he wouldn't notice how nervous she was. She was even so concerned about him noticing her nervousness, that she didn't notice how nervous he was himself.

"Huh~~~~" Killua smirked mischievously, as he looked at them and his cat ears popped up on his head.

"Next time, they should share a bed~" Leoio pointed out with a mischievous tone, but said it so that Nero and Kurapica couldn't hear it.

"Why?" Gon asked innocently. Killua whispered something I his ear and Gon blushed.

"Eh? Really?"

"What are you guys doing?" Nero asked with a raised eyebrow, knowing that they were up to something again.

"Nothing~" Killua and Leoio said in union.

"Now I'm really worried…" Nero grimaced. They laughed because of her expression, then smiled at each other and parted, knowing that they would meet each other again soon, and also knowing that each of them had made great friends….

_Friends, which bonds could never be destroyed._

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><p>I hope you enjoyed this chapter^^ Wah~, I hate farewells -.- Anyway, please give my review button a hug! :D See ya next time^^<p> 


	13. Past? x Celestial Tower? x Nen!

Hey everyone. :D Here is the next chapter. Yosh, I really love weekends XD I'm sorry that Kurapica and Leorio are not in this chapter -.- But I thought the explanation about Nen and some other things are important, so... please bear with it xD Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I apologize for any confusions or mistakes. I'll try to fix them or explain things properly. :D

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><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's. Also, I don't support any violence^^

* * *

><p><strong>Journey into the Unknown 13 Past? x Celestial Tower? x Nen!<br>**

~~~Flashback~~~

"I don't wanna." A six year old Nero protested, as her mother told her to go and get some fresh air, not looking up from her favourite book.

"But sweetie, don't be like that. You can't just sit the whole day inside the house. It's such nice weather today." her mom, who's beauty was as stunning as

a street full with cheery trees in full blossom, said gently and bend down to Nero, who digged her heels in. People always said that Nero inherited the

beauty of her mother and the personality of her father.

"But mom..." Nero said, still trying to protest.

"Nero, just because you think you are not normal, the people in Rain Vale never said anything against you. I'm sure you'd make a lot of friends, if you'd just open up a little." her mother said encouraging.

"Be her friend? I'm sure if the other kids would know how stubborn she is, they'll try to avoid her." her father teased her.

"Dad, your mean!" Nero hissed and her father patted her head.

"Just kick their butt if they're mean. Or ask your mom. She is perfectionist in it."

"What was that?" her mother asked resentful and hit her husband on the head.

"See what I mean?" her father asked Nero grinning, rubbing his head. Nero just grimaced in disbelief and sighed.

"Whatever. I'm going."

"See you later, sweetie!" her mother called after her. When Nero had left the house, her mothers expression became sad.

"She has a strong will and is the most stubborn girl I've ever seen. I'm sure she will be alright and will find what she has yet to learn." Nero's father tried to cheer her up. Nero's mom sighed.

"I hope so. I really hope so…"

…

"This sucks." Nero grumbled and kicked a stone, still sulking, wanting to finish her book. Despite being a usually calm girl, she really had a defiant

behaviour. Then Nero started running and decided to go to her favourite place in Sunleth Waterscape. She walked out of the rather small city, and

wandered trough the forest in Sunleth Waterscape. After about an hour, she reached a cliff, where one could see the huge forest even better, and a

beautiful lake with clear water. Indeed, the beautiful Sunleth Waterscape was almost completely unaffected from humanity, and its only peopled city was

Rain Vale. Despite that, Sunleth Waterscape was completely untouched.

She sat down and let the sun shine upon her face. She touched her birthmark on her neck, that people would constantly mistake for a tattoo and thought:

"_This birthmark… All woman in the Oerba Clan have it, yet why am I so different form my family?" _She turned her head slightly and looked at her own shadow.

"I don't understand you. You just do whatever you want… Why can't you be normal?" Nero said annoyed to her shadow. Suddenly, she heard a noise.

She shot her head around, looking for the source. She stood up and eyed her surroundings with a questioning look.

Nero got a weird feeling, knowing that something came closer, heading directly for her. Then suddenly, a boy, not older than 12, walked out of the forest.

Nero was amazed as she saw what a pretty boy he was. His silver-blond hair and his piercing green eyes shimmered in the warm sun. But then, she

noticed something else. He was covered in blood and held two golden daggers. He just gave Nero the creeps.

His gaze felt like ice and Nero couldn't find any trace of emotion when she looked at him.

"Are you hurt?" Nero asked, at first sounding a little shocked, but then noticed that it wasn't his own blood.

He looked at her for a while, until Nero asked, sounding stubborn and defiant:

"Who are you?" But he didn't answer, which made Nero feel even more uncomfortable.

"If you don't wanna answer… fine..." Nero turned away again and hoped he would leave her alone, but he didn't.

"_Have I seen him before...?… If no, and he isn't from Rain Vale, then why would someone from the outside come to Sunleth Waterscape?" _Nero thought.

"My name is Lucero." he suddenly said and his voice felt like an icicle that tried to pierce Nero's heart. Nero jumped in shock and stepped back.

"_Since when stood he beside me?"_

Because of the shock, her shadow tried to crawl onto her legs again, which it always did whenever she had outbursts of emotions.

Her shadow somehow had its own will, and she hated it, not understanding why.

Then he started to eye her like she was something that he had never seen before, and it even seemed that a bit of curiousness flared up in Lucero's

emotionless eyes, as he saw her shadow.

"Interesting…"

"What did you say?" Nero asked, thinking of a way to get a way from him. He was dangerous, and his aura made her want to run a way instantly.

He suddenly sat down, and said, still sounding icily and no emotions in his expression:

"Can't you hear it?"

"Hear what? Are you stupid?" Nero hissed, but was on guard. She somehow knew she had no chance to escape.

"The_ death cries_." he said with a quiet voice, that sounded like a cold, harsh whisper.

"W-What are you talking about?" Nero spluttered and felt herself panicking. Was it because of his presence? Or was it because she somehow knew he was

telling the truth? Then he stood up and walked over to her, slowly reaching his hand out. Nero couldn't move, being paralysed. Then he grabbed her chin

an told her, still sounding and looking emotionless, before everything around Nero became dark:

"_**Dwell in darkness, child of the shadows. May you never see a light of hope."**_

…

~~~Flashback end~~~

Nero opened her eyes. She sat upright and rubbed her eyes, then looked at her hands, that were slightly shaking.

"_I haven't dreamed about my past since a few months ago… Why now_?" she thought. Lucero's words often echoed through her head, and somehow Nero

thought, that he was soewhat right with what he said.

She could recall that day as if it was yesterday. When she came back to Rain Vale, everything was gone and nobody was alive.

Everyone was massacred because of the treasures of Sunleth Waterscape, including her parents. Netero and Maamen had found her when they looked at the mess in Rain Vale only a few days later.

Nero sighed, then looked out of the window, trying to shrugg her thoughts off.

"_I'm in an airship.. I forgot, we parted.." _Nero thought, thinking about her friends, then found herself thinking about Kurapica.

_"What the...? Why is his face appearing in my head, again...? Wahhh! Concentrate already!_" she commanded herself.

But then the flight was already over, hearing the announcement that they would reach the airport soon.

~~~Another flashback~~~

"_Unbelievable_..._I already miss them…" _Nero thought and was annoyed at herself, as she sat beside Netero, while Maamen offered them some tea in the garden.

"I wonder what those who qualified are doing right now." Maamen mentioned.

"Who knows? Working hard to make money, or trying to get their name down in history." Netero answered, sipping on his tea, then added, causing Maamen to trip:

"Or failing miserably."

"Geez gramps." Nero rolled her eyes, still feeling her hurting bones from the hug Netero gave her, who had cried like a three year old child when she returned.

Anyway, she still didn't know what he wanted from her.

"All kind of people appear each year. But one thing is for certain," Netero continued, eating the cookie Maamen had dropped on his head.

"I the future, they will experience the same kind of test." Netero finished. Meanwhile, Nero was about to snap and a vein already pulsated with anger on her head.

"Gramps?" she asked, trying to stay calm.

"Yes?"

"Why the hell did you call me? You called about 50 times, saying I have something important to do." Nero asked, obviously being about to snap.

"Oh, that. I wanted you to spend your free time with your grandpa." he answered, meaning it completely serious and sipped on his tea.

"… Why you…! I had to travel for 2 days, because you wanted to drink tea with me?." Nero's eyelid began to twitch and she snapped, trying to kick Netero.

But he simply jumped and landed on her leg, still sipping in his tea, and now ate a cookie.

More and more veins with anger popped up on Nero's head, and she tried to shake him off. He sat down again and laughed.

"Hohoho~~~"

"I have better things to do!" Nero hissed, while Maamen tried to calm her down.

"Please, Miss Nero…"

"I forgot!" Netero suddenly shouted, shocking Nero and Maamen.

"I have a job for you." Netero now said, as if he saw the daylight. Nero fell over.

"You could have said that sooner!"

"It has something to do with the auction in York Shin, on the 1st September… get me new 'magazines'." he wagged his eyebrows.

*SMACK*

"Enough." Nero said calmly, but was pissed as she stamped away, after she had finally kicked Netero, who rubbed the back of his head.

"Hohoho~ she's so energetically~"

~~~Flashback end~~~

Nero entered the airport, now heading straight for the Celestial Tower.

"_Since I don't have any jobs right now, I'll just go and train a little. It hasn't been that long since I last was here.._.." Nero thought, remembering that she would

come to train here every time she had time for it, now entering the Sky Arena.

She walked straight and registered herself, and could go up to the 200th floor, since she was a constant guest of that place.

So, rising to the top floor wasn't a problem.

She entered the elevator, thinking about Gon and Killua:

"_Come to think of it. Those two should be here, too… "_

When Nero looked up, the red-haired girl in the elevator greeted her.

"Let me congratulate you for rising to the 200th floor!"

"It's nothing.." Nero shrugged.

The girl glared at her, then said excitedly, clapping her hands together:

"Your reward will raised in time! And the treatment is much better!

"Figures." Nero simply responded, not really wanting to listen.

"BUT, you shouldn't be too careless! Because the opponents you are going to fight are really good!"

"Whatever." Nero shrugged, pissing the girls off.

Then the girl tried to intimidate her, telling her about some candidates who would do anything to keep their position.

"Those who come from the first floor can't be compared to the ones at the higher floors at all!" she said, trying to mock Nero, but Nero simply said, still being unenthusiastic:

"That's why I'm here."

"_This girl! This is the Sky Arena!" _the elevator girl thought pissed. Nero raised n eyebrow, then said with a blank expression and a monotone voice:

"Don't worry, aunty. The first time I was here, I went up to the higher floor, too."

"The first time?"

"I was 10?" Nero answered, as if it was the most normal thing on earth and the girl's face fell in shock. The elevator girl gave up and they reached the 200th floor.

"Bye." Nero said and walked out of the elevator.

_"Ah, this murderous energy. This place hasn't chanced at all_." Nero thougth, being a little annoyed. She walked over to the reception, wanting to register herself.

"Welcome to the 200th floor! Please sign this form." the purple haired lady said. Nero signed the form, then said:

"I don't really care when I participate. Just tell me when. The sooner, the better."

"Of course then your match will be-" the girl wanted to say someting, but before she could tell her, Nero turned her head to the side, and she couldn't believe what she saw. Her bored expression didn't change for a second, then she turned to the girl again, saying:

"Please, what did you say, again?"

"Hey it's not nice to ignore me~" Hisoka said, who was standing next to her.

"It's just that the moment I saw you, I wanted to be lonesome..." Nero said deadpan.

"You're so harsh~" he said amused, stepping a little closer.

"Uh huh, especially for you." Nero simply responded, then looked over to Hisoka, again, who had died his hair red. But then, both were quiet for a second, looking in the direction of the elevator.

"It's ti~me~" Hisoka said, having a sadistic grin and started to walk over to the elevator.

"_Are they really here? But… the 200__th__ floor should be to early for them!" It only has been about a week since we parted!" _Nero thought, and walked after Hisoka, having a bad feeling.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"You also don't know what the 200th floor looks like. You're so useless." Killua said annoyed, yet mockingly to the elevator girl.

"Killua…" Gon tried to stop him, but Killua didn't listen.

"The quality of this place is getting worse and worse. Did staff members have education training?"

"Killua!""If they can do this, they could at least someone good looking, like big sis Nero, or something." Killua continued, and the girl snapped, rolling her sleeves up.

"You two little brats!" she shouted and hit Killua straight in the face, then Gon. When the elevator door opened, both had swollen faces.

"Members in the Sky Arena really bully people…" Killua remarked. When they walked a few steps, they noticed it.

"Can you sense it, Gon?"

"This feeling… " Both, Killua and Gon felt uncomfortable, feeling the strong murderous energy, and started sweating, trying to bear it.

"The 200th floor is worth coming. In front, there is someone using **Nen**." Killua pointed out.

"What should we do?" Gon asked.

"We have to walk forward. If Wing doesn't want to tell us what Nen is, then we have to look for the answer ourselves." Killua said and both tried to

continued walking, which got harder with every step.

After they encountered one of the staff members, they saw that someone else they knew walked around the corner, and it was no other than Hisoka.

"It's Hisoka!" Gon shouted surprised.

"Why are you here?" Killua asked, being suspicious.

"That's a simply reaction. Why am I here?" Hisoka laughed amused, then showed them a card and added:

"It's the poker card that lead me to this place. Because your and mine destiny's red strings have appeared. Of course, this is not destiny's arrangement, but my arrangement."

Gon's and Killua's faces fell, gaping at him in disbelief, then Hisoka continued:

"You bought the flight tickets on electronic network, right? Actually, I only needed to investigate a little. I used a private plan to get here and wait for the both of you, because I have foreseen that you would come here."

"You're a stalker!" Killua said angrily, pointing at him.

"You are joking. I'm a constant guest of this place. Here, as an elder, I will warn you. For you two to be on this floor… it's too son." Hisoka said, and

increased his aura, causing both of them to lose their balance and they were pushed back by his aura.

"As for how long it will take depends on you. But now, it's too soon." Hisoka told them, sitting down.

"Are you kidding? We just came here!" Killua yelled pissed.

"Can you pass?" Hisoka asked amused and they were pushed back even more, but the, someone interrupted,

"Don't insist."

They shot their heads up, seeing a familiar face in front of them and were incredibly relieved seeing her.

"Big sis!" Gon and Killua called in union, seeing Nero in front of them, glaring at Hisoka.

"Yes, please, don't insist." Wing said, who had appeared behind them. Then he looked at Nero, and seemed to be surprised.

_"That girl... isn't she..?"_

"The way you are now, you have no possibility to counter his Nen!" Nero said to Gon and Killua, looking with a worried, yet serious expression at them.

"Here is like a snowy place, and you two are all naked, but you don't know why it is so cold. " Wing told them.

"You could die, if this continues." Nero said calmly, trying to cover them at last a little.

"I will tell you about Nen, so let's get out of here." Wing said, looking serious and Nero nodded at Gon and Killua, while Hisoka stopped his murderous energy.

Then Gon asked what would happed if they wouldn't register on that day, and was told that they would have to start on the first floor again, but since

Killua had refused to register before, he wouldn't be able to participate anymore.

"Will we be able to return before midnight?" Killua asked Nero. Nero shot Wing a glance, knowing what he had in mind, and answered, though it was unwillingly:

"It depends on you."

~~~…

They were inside the elevator, being about to go to Wing's and Zushi's room.

"Nero! I didn't think we would see each other again so soon!" Gon said cheerfully, giving her a hug.

"Yeah, but I knew you'd probably be here." Nero answered, grinning,.

"Eh? Why?" Gon asked, while Nero gave Killua a hug, who was deep in thought, yet happy to see her.

"I was the one who remembered Killua of this place."

It was a happy reunion, yet they had other problems…

~~~A little later~~~

Nero sat down and Wind demonstrated them what Nen is, throwing a few flowers at a vase, piercing it with the flowers.

"That is **Nen**. It's the ability of freely manipulating the vital energy, also called 'aura', that comes out of the body. Those who have life, will release will

release a small amount of energy. But… these uncontrollably auras generally flow out and **Ten** is the ability that can conserve this aura in the body. With

Ten, the body can become stronger and can maintain the youth better than common people." Wing explained and Nero tossed in:

"You have to know, gramps is about 110 years old thanks to that."

Gon's and Killua's faces fell.

"Really?"

"Yup."

"So that's why your so tiny. You're not growing anmore..." Killua mocked her, smirking.

"…Want me to shut you up?" she asked irritated.

Then Wing continued, clearing this throat:

"**Zetsu** is the ability that can cut off your aura. It can erase your presence and it's effective when you want to recover from exhaustion.

**Ren** is the ability to emit more aura that usual. " Then Wing glanced over to Nero, and she nodded. Both increased their aura, so that Gon and Killua could feel it.

"Can you feel it?" Nero asked.

"There is some pressure." Killua answered.

"But It isn't a disgusting feeling." Gon said and Killua agreed.

"_These two are really sensitive. Even thought they don't know how to use Nen, they use their instincts to feel it." _Wing thought, and was amazed, yet had somehow a bad feeling.

"That is because Wing and I don't have any bad intentions. However, those who have bad intentions and attack someone defenceless, can kill them with only aura." Nero explained, then Wing continued:

"So, using Ten to defend, is to use your aura to defend yourself from the opponent's aura." Then he walked over to the wall. He placed a hand on the wall

and increased her aura, using Ren. Not a second later,he created a crater in the wall, stunning Killua and Gon.

"If not, that persons body will split into shreds. So, this is Nen. A secret hidden from anybody. Actually, there aren't many people who can use and master

this title, or control it even a little. That's why we consider them differently, and call them 'Geniuses', 'Great Master', or 'Gifted'. To awaken a force that

sleeps… There are two ways. The first one is taking our time. Zushi, my pupil learned pretty fast and has a lot of effort. That's why he quickly mastered **Ten**.

It took him about 6 months." Wing told them, and Nero knew that both of them were way to stubborn to use that method, even less since they had to register in 3 hours.

No way! We only have till midnight! I want to destroy the wall put up by the Nen of Hisoka!" Killua protested.

"_I knew it." _Nero thought and stood up, then stretched herself and said:

"Alright, since time is the best teacher, but kills all its students, we'll speed things up. We can only use provoking."

"And how long will that take?" Killua asked her.

"Depends on you. You have to master the technique **Ten**, that allows you to keep your aura in your body's."

"_But I'm pretty sure they could do it in time_…" Nero thought, but actually didn't like the idea of forcing their _Shouko_ open. Now Wing gave up and continued his explanation.

"Now, I'm going to send you my aura. It's called **Hatsu **and looks like what I already showed you.."

Gon and Killua gulped, looking at the wall, but Wing calmed them down, saying:

"Of course, I'll do it lightly, but it will be rough on your body. Thanks to my aura that I'm going to send into your body's in one shot, we will force open your **Shouko**."

"Shouko?" Gon asked with a questioning look.

"Like acupuncture points?" Killua asked.

"That's right. Except the accurate acupuncture points, every disseminated **Shouko** within the body is usually closed. Consequently, the aura can't develop

well. Normally, we feel our own aura with prayers or meditation. After having realized that the aura envelops the whole body, we can let it open bit by bit.

That's why it takes a long time. Even the talented Zushi had to spend three months on it. But you, you would only need one week, maybe less." Wing explained.

"I don't really understand. To me, it seems better to wake up quickly…" Killua pointed out, eyeing Wing questioning.

"It's an unorthodox way and doesn't respect the legal order." Nero interposed from the sideline, leaning against the wall now with crossed arms.

"I've got something to ask. Why have you decided to teach us?" Killua asked Wing and he explained that he realized that they would have a lot of

problems at the 200th floor, without knowing how to use Nen, also saying that the people on this floor will fight with their Nen.

"I also believe that you are highly gifted and that your Ren… is splendid." he finished, then told them to take off their coats.

While Killua and Gon took off their jackets, Killua asked Nero:

"You knew about all this from the beginning, right?" She looked at him, and hesitated before answering.

"Yes, I knew about Nen since I'm 6 years old."

"So, why did you decide to help us now? Also, you wanted to use Nen back then, too, right?" Gon asked her, remembering when Mike had attacked the both of them.

"Yes, that's right. But I had to promise gramps that I won't tell anyone until they found their own teacher for Nen. Since Wing is teaching you now, I can support you as much as I want." Nero smiled wryly. They nodded at her, grinning at her, then Wing placed his hands on their backs. Then he opened their Shouko, and their aura began to flow out of their bodies.

"It's exactly like vapour water escaping from a kettle!" Gon pointed out with wide eyes, being able to see the Nen.

"Is that normal?" Killua asked, a little shocked as well.

"No, it sucks." Nero said deadpan.

"Wha-!"

"Concentrate! Keep your calm!" Nero commanded, together with a few more commands, and both mastered it without really needing any explanation

within seconds, much to Wing's surprise and shock. Nero grinned satisfied, then said: "Open your eyes slowly. How do you feel?"

"Well, I have the feeling of being inside liquid…" Gon answered, trying to think of the right words.

"It's like clothing without weight." Killua answered, as he eyed the aura that surrounded their bodies, not leaking away anymore.

"Try to picture this everyday in your minds. When you get used to it, even while sleeping, you'll be able to use Ten." Wing told them the said, activating his Nen more:

"Now, let's begin! I'm going to channel some hostility, and project my Nen to you. If you can avoid it, you'll be able to destroy Hisoka's wall." Wing told them and started…

* * *

><p>*dies* Alright, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Anyway, now I can finally introduce Nero's Nen ability (Hatsu ability)...<p>

In the next chapter, (I think).. xD

**Basic Nen abilities:**

**Ten**: Keps the aura from leaking away, but also keeps Shouko open/ most basic defense against the physical or emotional attacks from other users of Nen.

**Zetsu**: stops the flow of aura from the body altogether/ By closing all of the Shouko, one can become more sensitive to the aura of others/ Can be useful when tracking another person, also prevent other users of Nen from noticing them/ Can be dangerous since it leaves the body defenseless against any aura attack

**Ren**: focuses on outputting a high amount of aura and keeping it on the body/ increases the user's physical strength and durability and provides a large pool of aura for any advanced techniques or individual skills

**Hatsu**: release of one's aura so it can be projected to carry out a certain function/ Hatsu is a special and unique ability that one creates

You can find more and detailed information's about Nen on Hunterpedia. I put a link in my profile, since I think it can be confusing somethimes.^^

I'll introduce the other types of Nen later in my story, too^^

Well, see ya next time :D Please give my review button a hug :D *waves*


	14. 200th Floor? x Genius? x Shadow!

Hey everyone^^ Here is the next chapter! :D Well, one more chapter without much Kurapica, but that will change next time :3 Please enjoy, and I apologize for any confusions, or mistakes. I'll try to fix them or to explain things properly.

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's. Also, I don't support any violence^^

* * *

><p><strong>Journey into the Unknown 14 - 200th Floor? x Genius? x Shadow!<strong>

"Well, then, let's go." Nero said, walking out of the elevator together with Gon and Killua.

"Welcome to the 200th floor~ It seems like you can enter without problems. I can guess why you're here. You want to train and fight me, right?" Hisoka said, then looked at Gon.

"I didn't think you'd be here. So now I don't have to waste time searching for you." Gon said determined.

"You only mastered Ten and you are so self-confident~" Hisoka said, then stood up and added:

"Frankly, I don't want to fight with you now. But if you can win one fight on this floor, I'll fight with you~"

"Gon, Killua, you have to register." Nero told them, as they watched Hisoka leaving. But then, Hisoka turned around once again, and said, sounding amused:

"Oh and Ne~ro~~~, maybe you will encounter something very interesting while being here~" then turned around again, and continued walking. Nero looked after him with a raised eyebrow.

"Let's go." Killua said and they ran to the reception, while Nero started thinking.

_"Something interesting? Why do I have a bad feeling about this…"_

Anyway, Gon and Killua registered right in time, while bringing the girl on the reception to despair, because of their indifference.

"You only have to win 10 times to challenge a floor master!" the staff member girl said excited.

"Floor master?" Killua and Gon asked in union.

"Floor master. 21 one fighters. Beat one of them and become a floor master yourself." Nero explained with complete uninterested tone.

"Is that all?" they asked in union.

"…Yep." she answered, bored, popping the 'p'.

Meanwhile the staff member girl tried to get their attention, being shocked at their uninterested attitude.

"You can also participate in the Battle Olympia, which takes place every two years on the highest floor! It's great…" she started completely hyped up and finished lamely, seeing the still uninterested faces.

"Not important." Nero remarked deadpan and waved her hand briefly.

"What else?" Killua asked.

"Not important?" the staff member girl tried to stay friendly and continued.

"If you win, you have the qualification on living on the highest floor, which is the highest private residence in the world!" A penthouse, 1000 meter above the sea level!"

"Your house is higher, Killua…" Nero pointed out.

"Uh, my house is 3700 meter above the sea level." Killua agreed, sounding bored as Nero and Gon simply nodded.

"What do we do now? This is the secret of the top floor. It seems like we don't need to reach it." Killua said to his friends.

"Doesn't matter anyway. We are only here to train. I've never promised to two something special." Nero agreed.

"Right. It's okay as long as I get to fight Hisoka." Gon agreed.

"What did you come here for, anyway!" the girl complained. Then, when they were about to pick a date for a match, Nero glanced over her shoulder, seeing three males standing behind them.

"_What the hell? The three musketeers alias the laughing stocks?" _Nero thought sarcastically, trying to hide a wry grin.

"I'm ready to fight anytime." Gon told the girl, even if Wing had told them to wait for 2 months before fighting.

"Gon, I'll tell you that as a friend. I don't think it's a good idea for you to fight tomorrow. Actually, if I were your teacher, I'd knock some sense in that thick skull of yours." Nero told him calmly, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"But Nero, you wouldn't listen either, would you?" Killua asked and Gon grinned.

"You have a point there… but I still don't like it." she sighed, but gave up. Then all three of them walked to their rooms.

They entered Gon's room and found that the date for his match had been decided, which was on the 11th March at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

"That's tomorrow…"

~~~A little later~~~

After Nero had wished Killua and Gon a good night, she walked back in her own room, being a little excidet about her own fight already.

"_When will my fight be? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? I don't think they'll let me wait that long…" _

But when she came in her room, she almost fell over when she saw when her fight was.

"2 months from now? Are they trying to be funny?" Nero yelled and pointed angrily at the monitor. "This sucks…!"

She took a shower, and decided to go to sleep, but even though she was deadly tired, she somehow couldn't fall asleep at all, thinking about some things.

"_I wonder what Kurapica is doing right now. Probably sleeping…" _she thought, as Kurapica's face appeared in her mind again, also cursing herself because her heart started pounding like crazy again.

"_What the hell…?" _But then she gave up thinking about why her pulse rate was going up, again, being annoyed at herself.

"_I'll contact him tomorrow." _she decided, then thought briefly about Leorio, mumbling that he'd better study hard, then fell asleep.

~~~The next day~~~

After Nero dressed herself with new clothes, since her old ones were completely ripped and worn out, she went to look for Gon and Killua.

"Wow, Big sis sure is a sleepyhead. It's already noon." Killua whistled mockingly, as Nero entered his room, where she found both of her 12 year old friends.

"I just hate to get up early." Nero yawned and sighed, letting herself fall down on a chair.

"Anyway, are you ready for your first fight, Gon?" she asked, only opening one of her eyes drowsily.

"Sure!" Gon responded, sounding excited.

"That's good then. But don't to anything reckless, got it?." Nero insisted.

"Alright, I promise." Gon said and Nero nodded satisfied, only thinking in horror about the lecture Wing would give Gon afterwards, already thinking of a way to avoid hearing it herself.

~~~Later~~~

The fight between Gon and his opponent began, and Gon was hit a few times, not being able to fight on even terms with him. Then he encountered his Zetsu, that nobody had taught to him, much to everyone's shock and surprise.

"Is he insane? He will die if he cuts off his aura!" Nero said and clenched her teeth.

"Gon, you damn idiot! Have you forgotten what Wing told us!" Killua shouted.

However, in the end, Gon lost, but seemed satisfied, even though they were now sitting in the in-house hospital of the Sky Arena...

...

"On you right wrist, both radius and ulna are fractured, the left cubitus cracked, 3 fractured ribs, and a dozen of other serious fractures! It would need 4 months to heal completely! Are you a moron?" Killua scolded, sitting on Gon's bed together with Nero, both cross-legged. Gon didn't answer and just grimaced.

"What are you getting by grimacing at us? Do you know what you did was very dangerous?" Killua yelled, then started to slap Gon's forehead.

"You can't be an complete idiot, since some parts of your brain seem to miss!" Nero's eyelid twithched angrily, then she grabbed Gon's cheeks and pulled his face into weird grimaces.

"You completely ignored what the bro with glasses told us." Killua said, sighing annoyed, referring to Wing.

"But that moment I thought it wasn't any problem. I thought, as long as I'm not hit at a critical point, I won't die." Gon said, laughing it off.

Nero and Killua just gaped at him in disbelief, then Nero 'Che'ed and she started to pull on his cheeks, again, while Killua began to hit his fractured arm.

"I see. Than you don't mind me knocking some sense in that brain of yours?" Nero asked calmly, but an intimidating aura surrounded her.

"Wha~ Big sis Nero is scary…!" Gon winced.

Then it knocked on the door, and Wing entered, not sounding very pleased. He walked over to Gon, and slapped him, much to the surprise of Nero and Killua.

When he started to lecture him, Killua interrupted him, saying that Nero and he had already said all those things.

Wind sighed relieved, saying that he is glad that it wasn't something too serious.

"I'm really very sorry. Pease forgive me." Gon apologized, meaning it honest. Wing grimaced angrily, then said:

"No way. I won't forgive you!" Then he turned to Nero and Killua, asking: "Do you know when Gon will be healed?"

"The doc said it would take about two months." Killua laid, not even turning red and Nero looked at him, blinking a few times. He just smirked at her in his 'cat mode', which was how Nero called it.

"I see. Then I forbid you from today on, for two months, to participate in any match, or to practice Nen, nor study Nen in any way." Wing told him, or else, he wouldn't teach him anymore.

"_He really believed Killua…Is he simple-minded…?" _Nero thought in disbelief.

"Understood. I'll keep my promise" Gon said seriously.

~~~Later~~~

Killua decided to practice the concept of Ten with Gon, like Wing had told them to do, and Nero wanted to contact Kurapica. When she was in her room, she called him. She didn't know why, because she was actually used of making calls all the time, but she was incredibly nervous.

"_Will he think that I'm annoying because I'm calling him? Should I call him a little later, or should have called him a few days ago? Maybe he's mad… Maybe he won't even pick up…! No wait. What the heck…? What kinda mush am I thinking…?"  
><em>

But Nero didn't have the time to think any further, because after only a few rings, he picked up.

"Nero, I'm glad to hear from you."

"Yeah, I didn't know when to call you. I didn't want to annoy you when you're busy." she said, being relieved that he picked up and hearing his voice. She didn't know why, but it made her feel calm.

"Of course you don't annoy me. You are right, though. I'm still looking for a job."

Nero felt like she had a washer in her stomach, feeling guilty that she couldn't talk about Nen with him.

"Well, if it's you, you'll find one soon." Nero told him, knowing he would figure out soon what he needed to get a job as a Hunter.

"I hope so." he responded, with a gently voice. Nero found her heart beating even faster, and she was so nervous, that she was scared that she would start to talk funny. However, somehow, despite being annoyed at herself, she felt happy.

"Anyway, what are you currently doing?" Kurapica asked now.

"Oh, I'm in the Celestial Tower, and Gon and Killua are here, too."

"Really?" he asked kinda surprised, and Nero told him about her last week. How Netero had annoyed her, how she had met Gon and Killua, leaving out Hisoka, somehow thinking it was better not to mention him, and about Gon's match, leaving out everything about Nen, though she hated herself for it.

"Gon did what? Is he alright?" Kurapica asked, sounding a little worried.

"Well, he has some fractured bones, but I don't think it will take long to heal." Nero answered.

"I'm relieved it isn't anything too serious.. But, promise me that you will take care of yourself as well."

"You're such a worrywart, even more than gramps!" she snorted amused, trying to choke a laugher.

"Just be careful." he said again, sounding a little irritated, yet embarrassed.

"Alright, I'll try. And you take care, too." Nero grinned to herself. Then they said their goodbye's, promising to contact each other again soon.

As Nero heard the phone click, she looked at her cell phone, and started to recall his words in her head, somehow feeling at ease. But then, she started to miss him.

_"This is really confusing... First I'm nervous, then I'm happy, then I'm calm, then I'm depressed beacsue I miss him?... What the heck...? I would miss all of them.. but this just feels different..."_

~~~One month later~~~

Nero and Killua entered Gon's room, who was doing a handstand with one arm.

"Oh, hey guys! I was about to go and get you!" Gon said cheerful.

"You recovered from your injuries?" Killua asked with wide eyes, not believing what he just saw. Nero closed the door, and went in Gon's room once again.

"No, he's still moving around like a monkey." she said deadpan.

"Heh~" Gon grinned and started to run on one spot. "I think I'm totally healed! No problem at all~~~" Gon grinned even wider.

"Injuries that normal people would nee four months to recover, this guy did only in one month?" Killua and Nero just gaped at him in disbelief. Then Killua went over to him and started to poke his forehead annoyed, saying:

"Very weird. You are a weird animal! What are you made of!"

"Hmm, maybe because I eat this!" Gon said, hitting his fist in his hand and showed them dried fish.

"_He must be made out of metal…" _Nero and Killua thought in union, not knowing how to respond, simply staring blankly at him.

"But what did you guys come here for?" Gon asked now, chewing some dried fish.

"Oh, that here." Killua said an took out three tickets for a match.

"Tickets?"

"Yep, but they aren't any ordinary tickets." Killua said and smirked.

"They are for Hisoka's match." Nero finished, grinning.

"So many people wanted tickets for this match. Since we are on the 200th floor, we had the right to buy them first, but damn, we had to spend our own money." Killua told him, being angry that he didn't buy himself any chocolate balls first.

"Hisoka is not any ordinary fighter. Eleven matches, and 8 victories. 6 of them were KO's. Plus, the number of KO's also represents the number of dead fighters. The three defeats were matches he didn't fight." Nero told Gon, placing her hands in her trouser pockets while walking with her two 12 year old friends down the hallway.

"That guy is outrageously arrogant!" Killua added, then his cat ears popped up on his head, while saying:

"Furthermore! Over 11 matches and he has lost only 4 points! This time is opponent is a person named Kastro."

"Damn, he's strong." Gon said, but his eyes glimmered with excitement.

"I think it's an opportunity to analyse Hisoka's techniques." Killua said, as they waited for the elevator.

"Hmm, But can I go?" Gon asked.

"Huh?"

"Because I have promised Wing-san…"

"It should be fine! We are only going to watch the fight!" Killua yelled and Nero shrugged. Then the elevator arrived, and suddenly, Wing appeared out of nowhere, shocking all three of them.

"No way! Watching a fight is also a way to study Nen! It doesn't matter for Killua or Nero, but Gon, you have to rest for the following months." Wing said angrily, then walked out of the elevator and walked away.

"That's all. I'm going.""Damn stalker! I almost got an heart attack!" Nero snorted irritated.

"He really is a stalker.." Killua agreed.

"Killua, Nero…" Gon said suddenly.

"Guess there is no helping it. Big sis and I are going alone to watch the match." Killua sighed.

"The elevator is going up." the red-haired lift girl said, but was ignored.

"It's a shame, but you could record the match." Nero suggested, placing a finger on her chin.

"The elevator is going up."

"But damn, I could have spend the money for the ticket on chocolate instead." Killua complained, while the lift girl snapped.

"ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THE ELEVATOR OR NOT!" she yelled, running out of the elevator then grabbed Killua and hit his face straight in the wall.

_"Gorilla… she will be a Floor Master in not time… poor Killua.._" Nero thought in awe.

"The elevator is going up." she said satisfied, as Nero jumped in the elevator, waving at Gon.

"See ya later."

"Bye!" Gon said, gaping at the scenario and didn't know what to say.

~~~A little later~~~

"I hate crowds.." Nero grumbled as she walked to Killua, already feeling sick.

"Geez, then why are you even going at crowded places?" Killua asked slightly annoyed.

"There's no helping it. The bigger the crowd, the more sick I'm feeling…" Nero responded moping. Then Killua said, remembering something:

"I want to go and buy some chocolate. You go ahead."

" 'Kay…" Nero said, still feeling like throwing up, as she watched Killua running down the hall to the stores.

"_I just hope that he isn't doing something stupid.. Though he didn't lie… _Nero thought, and decided to wait at the entrance.

A short while after that, Killua arrived, smirking as he saw her waiting.

"Don't say you were scared to go in alone?" he teased her in his cat mode.

"…Shut up." Nero said annoyed and stuck her tongue out.

Then they walked inside, and sat down.

"Ladies and gentleman, thank you for waiting! Now we will begin, the biggest fight of the century! The battle between Kastro and Hisoka!"

~~~One month later~~~

"Gon, Killua, from now on you can train with Zushi. Nero also said she would watch your training, too." Wing told them. Gon and Killua looked over to Nero, who seemed to be deep in thought.

"I wanted to ask, during Hisoka's match… what he used was Nen, right? How come I couldn't see it?" Killua asked Wing, but glanced also over to Nero, knowing that she had seen it.

"Hisoka made is aura so thin that it's impossible for people to see." Wing answered, confusing Gon and Killua.

"Huh?

"It's a very strong Zetsu technique, called **In**. The only way to recognize this kind of Zetsu is to learn another Ren technique, called **Gyo**." Nero now explained, standing up and stretching herself, but her explanation just left Gon and Killua as clueless as before.

"Gon, Killua, how much time do you have until your next match?" Wing asked them.

"In about a month." Gon said.

"My match is in 27 days." Killua told him.

"That's enough time. The worst thing for you to do now, is to speed up your training. Train at your own pace." Wing said.

"Yes!"

"By the way, when is your Match, Nero?" Wing asked her. Nero shot up, standing straight, and answered, having totally forgotten about it:

"Tomorrow."

"What?" they asked shocked in union.

"I should go to sleep early." Nero sighed stressed out.

"Say, you are a little weird since about a month again. Did something happen?" Gon asked her, and Nero actually didn't want to answer, but when she looked at him, she saw his puppy eyes.

"It's just that I'm worried about Kurapica. He isn't picking up his phone, and if he does, he sounds a little weird."

"So it's lovesickness." Killua remarked sighing.

"No hell!" Nero hissed embarrassed.

"You wouldn't get so annoyed if I weren't right... " Killua responded in his cat mode, but held his hands up in mock surrender when Nero raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure he's alright. Maybe he is just stressed from finding a job, or training or something." Gon tried to cheer her up, but wondered a little himself about what Nero had said.

"Guess your right. Yosh! I'm going to sleep. Will you guys come to see my match tomorrow?" she asked grinning, pulling herself together.

"Sure we will!" Gon cheered.

"Yep, sure thing. I wanna see how you embarrass yourself." Killua said mockingly and smirked.

"Don't say that, or _you_ will hurt yourself." Nero joked, slightly evil grinning and raised an eyebrow. Then she saluted briefly and went out of the room.

"Why do I have the feeling that she didn't joke? Damn she is even scarier than the Gorilla-lift-girl..." Killua laughed nervously, then turned to Gon, Wing an Zushi, who seemed to have noticed her slightly intimidating tone as well.

"Seems like she takes a lot of pride in her abilities." Gon shrugged, slightly grinning, but his expression had been slightly nervous as well.

"Nero is the Chairman's granddaughter. And I don't know if you have heard about it, but I guess since you didn't know what Nen is before, you don't, but she is considered to be a Nen-genius. " Wing explained looking serious.

"…" The faces of his apprentice's simply fell. "Awesome.."

However, not all of it would turn out to be true...

~~~The next day~~~

"It's participant Nero vs. Beatz! The exciting match we have been waiting for is about to begin! And now, the first participant, Nero, enters the ring!" the announcer said and the public cheered.

Meanwhile Nero simply felt sick.

"Crowds…" she mumbled, as she jumped in the ring. "Can't be helped…No pain, no gain…" Nero sighed and shrugged, trying to ignore the 'annoying, noisy crowd'.

"And now, her opponent, Beatz, is entering the ring!" the announcer said, and the public cheered, again and now, mostly females could be heard, which Beatz seemed to like, blowing kisses.

Nero eyed her opponent with a blank face.

"_Disgusting, arrogant smoothie." _Nero thought, eyeing the 'pretty boy', which she didn't seem to take note of at all.

"I'm sorry, Missy, but I won't go easy on you just because you're a girl, though I love them." he said, grinning arrogantly, and winked at her.

"_Why are all of my opponents bastards?" _Nero asked herself, mentally face palming.

"Don't worry, since I'm nice, I could give you a farewell kiss. It's a shame you'll die anyway, though." he said, laughing cockily and Nero just responded deadpan:

"Yep, die laughing." She could see that she had pissed him off.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Killua asked disgusted, eyeing Nero's opponent.

"Don't underestimate him, Killua. He won 5 fights and lost only one." Wing told him then added:

"He has a very good technique, and his defence is almost impossible to break."

"Then big sis can't win?" Killua asked, seemed a little worried, but Gon said grinning determined:

"She will win! She won't lose to someone like him!" Killua looked at him, at first being a little surprised, then smirked as well, agreeing with him.

"Right!"

"True, and also, I only said that his defence is _almost_ impossible to break. But there is still a way..." Wing said, slightly grinning.

~~~Back by Nero~~~

"Switch on! It seems like the votes were pretty balanced!" the announcer said, looking at the monitor that showed the results of the bets.

"Seems like my fans betted for me~" Beatz said to Nero, still looking confident, and Nero just kept her slightly disgusted expression.

"Uh-huh…"

"And it also seems like that I have more fans than you!" he continued mockingly.

"Uh-huh…"

"Can't you be a bit more enthusiastic" he yelled.

"Maybe if you shut up?" Nero suggested shrugging, pissing him more off.

"Even if you are every pretty, I will definitely kill you!"

"You said something like that already…"

Before he could attack her, the judge announced:

"The match will end when the points reach maximum! No time limit! One round match! Begin!"

"Both of them immediately increased their aura, using Ten to shield themselves and Ren to increase it more. Then Nero eyed the ring.

"_This is really bothersome.. The lights here are way to strong, so my shadow is not big enough.. Seems like I have to use a little trick.."_

"Here I come!" Beatz said, and began to use his Hatsu ability. Around Nero suddenly appeared an even stronger light, and then suddenly, she saw about 6 mirrors around her.

"_So he belongs to the materialization group…" _Nero thought, eyeing the mirrors suspiciously. "_The question is just what they can so.."_

Then Beatz disappeared, and Nero had to jump aside. Beatz appeared out of one of his mirrors, jumping in the next one while attacking her, being very fast by the way, too.

_"Now I get why they say his defence is almost impossible to break.. Too bad, but there must be a weak point.." _Nero thought, trying to avoid his attacks. Then suddenly, while thinking about what she could do, he landed a hit in her back.

"Critical hit, two points, Beatz!" the judge said. Nero, however, who rubbed her back, stayed calm, though she was pretty annoyed.

"2 points for him... but now, I know the weakness in his ability." Nero thought slightly grinning. Then she made herself ready for using her Hatsu ability.

The turquoise aura that surrounded her grew stronger, mostly concentrating on her legs. Then suddenly, a shadow began to surround her, which grew bigger. Beatz eyed her, and wanted to attack her, again, before she could finish activating her special ability.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"Her aura! It's growing stronger!" Killua said with wide eyes, being curious what would happen next.

"Yes, but it's not a disgusting feeling at all. It somehow feels... pretty gentle." Gon added, and looked curious as well.

"It will be over very soon." Wing said, with a serious face.

"What do you mean?" Gon and Killua looked at him.

"Just watch."

~~~Back by Nero~~~

Her shadow grew bigger, then suddenly it began to grew smaller, beginning to crawl onto her legs. Then the shadow began to form and it seemed like it hardened itself.

_"**Shadow Shackles.**_" Nero thought and her shadow finally shaped itself in a pair of black boots, that looked like armour. On the outside of her feet could be found a circle with blades. On the circle itself was a mark in the shape of a black flower, similar looking to her tattoo on her neck, and the boots had kneepads. Also, no highlights could be found on her boots, they were simply black.

Nero jumped, disappearing in not even a heartbeat, then appeared behind Beatz, giving him a kick in his back, sending him flying.

"Critical hit, two points, Nero!" The judge yelled.

"I returned the favour, now let's fight on even terms, if you can keep up, that is." Nero said mockingly, still being angry at herself for letting herself get hit.

"You damn.." he hissed, then jumped at her. Nero however was so fast, that his eyes couldn't follow.

_"Speed… One of my specialities, and the weak point in your defence."_ she thought. When Beatz wanted to attack her anew and turned around to do so, he was already kicked straight in the face by Nero, who had crossed arms and a bored face, while knocking him out. Then Nero sighed annoyed, rubbing the back of her neck while returing her shadow to normal, then said to an unconscious Beatz, turning around to leave:

"Nostradamus must have predicted that you'd be a loser."

"Beatz is unable to continue the fight! Nero wins!" the judge announced, and Nero thought, slightly grinning to herself:

_"Nothing special. Even Gon and Killua could have beat him after figuring out his technique…"_

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Nero had won the match. She left the ring, being a little disappointed. However, at that time, she didn't notice that a pair of gree eyes had watched her...

"Found you..."

~~~Later~~~

"You were really great, Nero!" Gon said with sparkly eyes.

"Not really. He was just not that strong..." Nero shrugged.

"We heard you are a genius when it comes to Nen... did you really learn it without a master?" Killua asked her, looking curious. She just raised an eyebrow, then said, snorting amused:

"It's true that I developed my own Hatsu without knowing how to use Nen, but I couldn't really control it until I was 8. And I had to train the other things as well."

"Why did you take so long to control your Hatsu ability, even though you already developed it?" Killua asked. She thought for a second, then said deadpan:

"Because I'm plain lazy."

"..." Their faces fell in disbelief, eyeing the 16 year old girl, who was completely serious, then started laughing.

"Can you tell us more about your ability?" Gon asked her, after he had finished laughing. Nero grinned, then answered, head locking Gon and Killua:

"Hmm... Sure, but first, we will figure out what your Hatsu type is..."

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><p>Alright, this was the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. :3 Anyway, in the next chapter (that will be up in the next two days) I will explain Nero's ability more, then I actually planned to show a little more what happened to Kurapica this whole time...<p>

As for Nero's clothes.. (including her 'Shadow Shackles') I will put up a new pic on deviant art when I update the next chapter^^ See ya next time :D *waves*


	15. Secrets? x Rematch? x Strong On My Own!

Hey everyone :D Here is the next chapter. :3 About Nero's clothes... if you want to see them just look for the link in my profile :3 Anyway, please enjoy this chapter and I apologize for any confusions or mistakes. I'll try to fix them or explain things properly. :D

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's. Also, I don't support any violence^^

* * *

><p><strong>Journey into the Unknown 15 - Secrets? x Rematch? x Strong On My Own!<br>**

After only one night, Gon and Killua accomplished their Gyo and they could start with their Hatsu training.

"Hatsu is a technique that allows you to control your aura freely. In other words, it gathers all the important aspects of Nen, and splits them into 6 groups. Emission, Reinforcement, Transformation, Manipulation, Materialization, and Specialization. The personality of the user and his Nen are related. The closer you resemble the group, the easiest it is for you to leant it. On the other hand, it will be difficult for you to learn it." Wing explained.

"Question. Is there a way to test out our aura?" Killua asked.

"There is." Nero said, and placed a water glass on the table, with a leaf floating on the surface.

"This is the water test. It'll test out your aura. Also, it can help you to train your Hatsu." Wing explained, stepping closer to the glass and put his hands around it.

"Hold your hands close to the cup and release your Ren." Wing added and released his Ren. Not a second later, the water began to overflow the glass.

"This change in water is representative of reinforcement. Therefore, I belong to the reinforcement group. Now you 3 try it."

"Then I'll go first." Gon said. When he released his Ren, the water began to overflow the glass, showing that he belonged to the reinforcement group like Wing. The next one was Zushi. As soon as he released his Nen, the leaf on the surface of the water began to move slightly.

"Oh, the movement of the leaf means you're in the Manipulation group." Nero said, looking over Zushi's shoulder, then grinned and said:

"Same as me." His eyes widened and he said excitedly:

"It's an honour!"

"Eh? Well… thanks?" Nero looked at him in disbelief, not getting what he was talking about.

The next one was Killua, and at first, it seemed like nothing happened, much to said boy's shock, but then Wings said:

"Taste the water." They tasted the water and it was a little sweet, which meant that Killua belonged to the Transformation group.

"Since you all know now which group you belong to, you have to train your Hatsu for the next month. The change in the water should be more obvious." Nero told them and they agreed, starting their training immediately.

"_Well, I actually wanted to leave this place in the next few days, but… I think staying a little longer won't hurt." _Nero thought, watching her friends train, being quite impressed by their progress. Then Gon turned to her, not taking his hands of the water glass, and asked her with sparkly puppy eyes:

"Nero, can you tell us now more about your Hatsu ability?"

"Hmm, only if you train meanwhile." she answered, sitting down next to them and began to train her Hatsu as well.

"Sure!"

"Alright… Were do I start. Maybe here.." she started, nodding at her simple, black ballerina-like shoes.

"I belong to the manipulation type, but I can materialize these shoes, since taking off real shoes every time I use my 'Shadow Shackles' would be pretty troublesome."

"I see."

"So you can use both, manipulation and materialization?" Killua asked her.

"Yeah, though I mastered manipulation to to 100%, and materialization about 90%. I suck at emission, though." Nero answered and shrugged, mumbling the last sentence.

"And what are you doing with your shadow, exactly? I mean, besides turning it into armoured boots."

"I can make my shadow solid. Also, I can make him bigger, because if there wouldn't be a shadow, I couldn't use my Hatsu ability. And I choose armoured boots because I like to fight with my legs. In fact, I can't make anything else out of my shadow.."

_"Due to my contract..."_ she thought.

"Awesome! Will you tell us about some of your techniques?" Gon asked excitedly.

"No way. You will see them if I get serious in a fight. I need to have my little secrets." Nero answered grinning, wagging her finger and Gon put his face in a put. Then Killua asked, remembering what her 'Shadow Shackles' had looked like.

"You said you can make your shadow solid. What kind of material becomes it?" Nero's eyes widened for a second, then her expression looked pained, as if she remembered something painful. She hid her eyes behind her bangs, inhaling and was quiet for a second. But then she said, while sticking her tongue out and pulling down an eyelid:

"Se~cret~"

Killua was pissed, and one could see a vein pulsating with anger on his head, while asking her annoyed:

"What the heck? What kind of answer is that?"

"One to annoy you." she remarked deadpan.

"You stingy, tomboyish, tiny, dwarf-woman."

Calling her that was not Killua's best idea…

"I'm taller than you!" Nero responded irritated, and her eyelid began to twitch annoyed.

"I'm still growing, you not, midget."

"Spell and say that again, well, _if _you can_, _that is.." Nero said calmly, yet pissed, while the leaf in her water glass suddenly shot out of said glass, now sticking in the wall, and had almost hit Zushi, who's face turned blue because of the shock. Both Wing and Gon looked quite stunned..

"_Her Nen… Does it grow stronger when she has an emotional outburst..?" _Wing thought, and noticed the rather dark aura, which surrounded Nero…

"Sibling fight. Alright, enough. Time out." Wing said, sighing, while Nero head locked Killua, rubbing her knuckles in his head, and he struggled against her grip.

"Just tell us!" Killua yelled annoyed.

"No way." Nero sighed and grinned kind of evil, obviously enjoyed having the upper hand, since Killua couldn't free himself.

"Fighting over something like this…" Gon looked at them in disbelief, then tried to calm them down.

Then Nero released Killua, who gave up, thanks to Gon.

"It's not like I don't want to tell you, but that I just shouldn't, that's all." Nero told them, leaning back.

Gon and Killua looked at each other, only being more curious now.

"_I can't tell them. After all, this material is the reason why Rain Vale doesn't exist anymore…" _Nero thought, biting her underlip.

~~~A few weeks later~~

The rematch between Gon and Hisoka was finally about to begin. Hisoka seemed to be very excided, and emitted a very uncomfortable aura.

Then the match started, but even though Gon gave his all, Hisoka dodged all of his attack with ease, not even moving from one spot.

After Hisoka hit Gon, said boy had to change his strategy, if he even had one to begin with.

"He won't get a single point of he attacks from up front. The only weak point Hisoka has right now is his arrogance." Nero pointed out, eyeing the match carefully, not missing a single punch of one of them threw, while having a rather green face, since she had to sit amongst the crowd.

"Yeah your right. That's his only chance." Killua agreed. Then Gon attacked again, but this time, stopped his punch a few inches before 'hitting' Hisoka's face, jumped back and lifted up one of the stone slab's from the ring, using it to attack.

He threw it, then punched the stone slab, breaking it. Hisoka had to dodge the stone pieces, and it was Gon's chance to attack. He hit Hisoka straight in his face.

"Critical hit! Two points to Gon!" the judge shouted and the public was surprised, yet cheered for Gon.

Then Hisoka and Gon walked straight at each other. Gon took Hisoka's number sheet out of his pocket, giving it back to him.

"Eh…? Eh? EHHH?" was all the announcer could say, eyeing the scenario.

"He can only use this kind of attack one time. Now, the real fight begins." Killua said, slightly smirking. Gon and Hisoka meanwhile jumped apart again, making themselves ready for the fight, again.

"How much have you leaned about Nen?" Hisoka asked Gon with his sadistic smile.

"I've learned all the basics." Gon answered, not taking his eyes off Hisoka.

"Hmm~ You belong to the Reinforcement group, right?" Hisoka asked now, after eyeing Gon for a second.

"Eh? How… did you now?" Gon asked kinda surprised. Then Hisoka chuckled and answered teasingly.

"How can you be so easily fooled? How cute."

"S-Shut up! I'm asking you how you knew!" Gon said angrily.

"It's the same as distinguishing a person's blood type. It's a technique I inverted to use a person's aura to analyse their personality.

"Huh?"

"I can use one phrase to sum up the personality of a reinforcement person," Hisoka added, then pointed at Gon and simply said:

"Simple-minded."

*BOOM*

He had hit the nail on the head.

"_He's right." _Killua thought.

"_He's right." _Zushi thought, looking at his Master.

"_He's right." _Nero thought, snorting amused.

"I'm in the transformation group. Unpredictable and dishonest." Hisoka continued, pointing at himself.

"_He's right." _Gon thought.

"…_Right again." _Killua thought.

Then the fight continued, and Hisoka seemed to get serious, attacking Gon as well and showing his true speed. It didn't take him long to get 6 points, also attaching his Bungee Gum at Gon's cheek. And even though Gon had the chance to attack him once more, attacking Hisoka continuously, Hisoka was no match for him.

He used his Bungee um again, pulling Gon into his fist, hitting the 12 year old with ease. Then, after tricking Gon, Hisoka got the last points, wining the match.

However, though Gon had lost, they agreed to fight each other again, in the outside world, with their lives at stake.

~~~…~~~

After more weeks of training, fighting and trouble, Nero, Killua and Gon had been in the Celestial tower for almost 5 month.

"The matches of all 3 of you were very interesting. And Gon, Killua, you two have completed the 4 main sections of Nen very well. From now on, you should keep on training the basics and analyse your own abilities, to invent your own Nen technique. Think

about your hope, your joy, and sorrow., what you like, what you want, where do you want to go, who do you want to meet, what kind of experience you will have. All of this will help you to shape your future. At the same time, it will reveal to you the Nen that

best suits you. You have to find it, and make it part of you. As long as you accomplish this, you will find the best path for your future. Gon, you have passed the secret Hunter exam. Congratulations." Wing told them, while they stood under a warm, setting sun.

"Secret Hunter exam?" Killua asked.

"The training of Nen was the content of the true exam. Only the people who've passed both of the exams have really passed the Hunter exam. Actually, the basic of Nen is the basic requirement for a Hunter. However, if you'd use your Nen for evil purposes, it

would become a destructive power. That's the reason why it's only taught to those who've passed the public Hunter exam." Wing explained and Gon and Killua looked as if they had seen the daylight, pointing at Nero, shouting:

"That's why you kept quiet about!" She turned her head away, playing innocent. "I guess so."

"Anyway, there are some who've discovered it and self-taught it without our help." Wing continued.

"Like Hisoka, Nero-" Gon started and Killua added:

"And my brother."

"So, that means that you were planning to teach us about Nen from the beginning?" Gon asked Wing with wide eyes.

"He even forced me to beg… how pathetic." Killua said slightly annoyed, then asked, noticing something:

"But how did you know that we were going to come here? Don't tell me you're really a stalker-"

"It's coincidence, or fate, that you two came to Celestial Tower and met me. " Wing answered calmly, smiling at them, sounding as if he took a trip down the memory lain, until he was harshly interrupted…

"Don't lie. I was the one who told you they were going to be here." Nero snorted annoyed, then added somehow sounding a little gently while saying it, as she saw that Gon and Killua looked at Wing blankly:

"Killua, you definitely should take the Hunter exam, again. With your abilities, you will pass with ease."

"Maybe if I feel like it." Killua answered, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Ah! Wing, do you know what the others are doing right now?" Gon asked, and Nero felt herself feeling depressed, again.

"Yes. Hanzo and Kurapica have learned Nen under different masters. It seems like Leorio will leant Nen after he completes the entrance exam to medical school. It seems like Pokkle needs more practice in order to learn Nen." Wing answered.

"Everyone is working hard." Gon stated.

"Looks like it." Killua responded.

"Don't ever forget my last statement. The most important thing now is to improve your abilities. That is also the goal of your training. From now on, you must keep on training hard. Also, you should enjoy your life to the fullest. This is the last thing I can teach

you. You two have officially graduated today. You two have made me proud. All right. Remember to take care of yourself." Wing told them now, and a nice, warm atmosphere surrounded them.

"Enough with this mush now! I'll get sentimental... or not." Nero said, ruffling Gon's and Killua's hair, but then added smiling, sounding very warm-hearted, hugging them both:

"You two are great friends and I believe in your abilities. Wherever your journey may lead you in the future… I hope it is the path that will make you two the happiest."

Both blushed and Gon was the first to say something, while Killua seemed to be startled at first:

"Thank you. Nero, you really are like a big sister."

"Yeah, seems like even big sis can be nice." Killua said teasingly, trying to hide that he was embarrassed. She let go of them and said, grimacing annoyed:

"Tsk… Whatever you wanna believe."

"So not cute." Killua remarked, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Nero is just not good with expression her feelings." Gon told him, smiling at Nero, who meanwhile thanked Wing and encouraged Zushi to continue his training.

"Anyway, We'll see each other next month." Nero said to Gon and Killua, picking up her black backpack, throwing it over her shoulder. They nodded at her, thanking her that she had helped to teach them about Nen. Then they shouted in union, as if they were by the military, responding to what she had said:

"Yes Sir!"

"Sir?" Nero asked, but raised amused an eyebrow.

"Err, Ma'am!" they corrected themselves. Then Killua put his hand around his mouth, leaning over to Gon and whispered:

"More like snotty little madam…"

*WHACK*

That was a straight hit in the back of Killua's head. . . Gon even meant to hear something cracking, grimacing in horror…

"That hurt! Damn, you're more scary than Hisoka!" Killua yelled, rubbing his head.

"And you are hurting my ears." Nero snorted annoyed.

"You're really a she-devil!"

"Thanks for the compliment…" Nero responded sarcastically.

"Her temper is even worse than Leorio's…" Killua complained to Gon, still rubbing his head. Then Nero started laughing and both looked at her puzzled.

"I'll miss the both of you. Well, see ya next month. If I can get some information's about your father, I'll contact you." Nero said, looking at Gon, grinning slightly. Then she turned around and saluted briefly, heading for the next city.

"Yes! See you next month!" Gon shouted and waved after her.

"Bye! Don't miss us too much!" Killua yelled teasingly, putting a hand around is mouth.

"Instead of annoying me, you should convince Gon to get himself a cell phone!" she yelled over her shoulder.

"Gotcha!" he responded, while they saw Nero slowly disappearing.

"_Yes, may the path on our journey cross again." _Nero thought, then mentally slapped herself for thinking mush.

"I'm getting old... I'm sounding like gramps..."

~~~A little later~~~

"It's already so boring." Nero thought with a bored expression, wondering what her friends were doing, while being on her way back to Netero, who had already made a fuss because she wasn't home for months.

She walked down the path through a forest, heading to the next city, from where she could take an airship to her home.

The sun had already set, and Nero didn't think that she would arrive at the next city before dawn. But because it wasn't that late, she took her cell phone out of her pocket, eyeing it for a few moments.

_"Should I call him? But he is usually not answering… And if I'm the one calling, again, he'll just think I'm annoying, right?_" Nero thought, but her hand seemed to move on it's own, already calling Kurapica.

"WAH! What the heck am I doing!" she yelled flustred, throwing her arms in the air.

"…Geez, can't be helped I'm worried!" she gathered up her courage, already thinking about what she could say when he would pick up.

"The number you have called is currently not available."

Nero put her phone back in her pocket and sighed distressed. "If someone saw my rights now, I'd definitely get laughed at…" she thought, face palming.

Then suddenly, she felt something, and her face became solemn, being on guard.

"Who's there?" she asked firmly, being ready to fight. The aura she felt was been cold, and full of evil intentions. Then she heard it.

The evil chuckle Nero heard send a cold chill down her spine, though she kept her calm. Then someone appeared out of the shadows, and Nero wasn't able to move, being completely shocked at what she saw.

"You…?"

~~~Somewhere else~~~

. . .

_**I want to be strong.**_

_**The kind of strength that can banish all the wandering spirits…**_

…_**into the deepest level of hell…**_

. . .

Kurapica entered the first-class train compartment, taking a book out of his back and sat down, remembering the things that had happened to him during the past few months…

_"At that time, even though I had the passport with me, I didn't know how to buy the tickets. I was just an amateur tourist. The biggest problem was, I didn't understand this world's secrets. Which is to say I didn't know about Nen."_ Kurapica thought, reading his book, also finally understanding what Nero never wanted to talk about.

Then someone knocked on the door, and a very short girl with buckteeth entered.

"Excuse me. Sorry to bother you" she said friendly, then tried to put her bag away, but since she was too short, she couldn't reach the place where she wanted to put it. Kurapica looked up from his book, finding himself thinking about Nero, and how she hated

it when someone called her 'shrimp', 'midget', or something else. He smiled slightly to himself while thinking about her, but then suddenly realized something, immediately shrugging off his thoughts, telling himself that he mustn't think about something else than capturing the Spiders. Then he stood up, and helped the girl putting her bag away, not saying a word while doing so.

"Thank you." she said, and he simply answered, while sitting down, again:

"Don't mention it."

She looked at him for a moment, thinking, as she sat down herself:

_"His heartbeat was so tender for a second..."_

. . .

After a long time of silence, the girl asked, sounding friendly:

"Where are you heading?"

"Do I have to answer that?" he asked coldly.

"Of course not, but don't people always say to rely on friends when you're away from home? Don't you think it's fate that we're occupying the same room on the same train?" she smiled.

"No." Kurapica simply responded, not looking up from is book.

"_Right now, I don't need any friends, or... The only thing I need is the determination and the strength to reach my goal." _he thought.

A few moments later, someone knocked on the door, again.

"Please let me inspect your tickets." the ticket inspector said.

"Okay, please enter." the girl said. He entered and Kurapica already held out his Hunter Licence.

"I heard that the Hunter Licence Card could be used as a passport?"

"Ah, yes, excuse me." he answered, taking the Licence Card, and eyed it for a moment, somehow seeming nervous.

He gave back the Licence Card and went out of the room. The girl looked after him, already being suspicious, while Kurapica calmly continued to read his book.

~~~Later~~~

It was already dark outside, and after a long time of silence the girl asked decently:

"Why do you emit such a sorrowful and painful rhythm? The rhythm of the sound that comes from that lonely chan concealing a strong will." Kurapica looked up, eyeing her, though keeping a calm face.

"Sorry, because of my profession, I'm very sensitive to sound. So I unintentionally predict peoples minds. Please don't mind me." she told him. However, Kurapica didn't answer, and continued reading his book. After a little more time, the girl stood up and looked out of the window, noticing that it started raining.

"The sound of the night rain always brings a feeling of despair."

After the train had stopped at a station, the girl broke the silence once again, saying:

"These people are targeting you. They are probably hired to seize your Hunter Licence Card. There are 6 of them. Their heartbeats are calm. Probably professional assassins."

"6 of them?" Kurapica repeated, as he closed his book and stood up.

"Thanks for your warning. I couldn't tell how many of them there are. Don't worry. I won't bring any troubles to you."

Kurapica opened the door, and the assassins tried to attack him. Kurapica however, didn't even need a few seconds to deal with them, chasing them away with his chain and dodging all their bullets with it.

"You're analysis was correct." Kurapica said calmly, closing the door.

"Eh?" the girl seemed just speechless.

"They're professionals. Thanks to you, it wasn't difficult to deal with them. Thank you."

"You're welcome." she responded smiling.

. . .

A little later, both, Kurapica and the girl had to get off the train.

"This trip has been exciting and pleasant because I've met you. It's really true that you should rely on friends when away from home." she told Kurapica friendly, and he started thinking about the others, and especially Nero's face appeared in his mind...

"_Rely on friends…" _

But then_, _after a few seconds of silence, he said, as they parted ways:

"Well then, I'll be going."

_"I have to keep on fighting. I can't rely on anyone else anymore. The only thing I can rely on is… My own strength. I live solely for that purpose."_

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><p>Yosh! I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D<p>

Just one thing . . . I actually intended to make Nero a Conjurer, but after I added some stuff to her Hatsu ability, she just turned out to be a Manipulator. She almost turned out to be a Specialist XD Well, I hop it's okay how it turned out :3

(By the way, since I'm just showing you a sketch, again...

Shirt: White / Pants: light blue/ Belt: white/ In the picture, you can see her 'Shadow Shackles', but her normal shoes are simple, black, materialized ballerina-like ones.)

Thanks for your reviews :3 *dances happily* please continue to hug my review button ;D

**_More about Nen:_**

**Gyo:** Nen-user concentrates larger portion aura into one specific body part, makes that body part stronger/ leaves the rest of your body more vulnerable/ mostly used on the eyes, which allows a Nen-user to see things which would otherwise be hidden

**In:** advanced form of Zetsu/ can almost completely hide a Nen-user/ can also be used to hide Hatsu abilities/ can be countered by using Gyo

**En:** advanced application of Ren and Ten/ extend Ren so that their aura extends further than normal, Ten at the same time to give shape to the aura (usually a sphere)/ Someone using En can feel the shape and movement of anything entering their

En-covered area/ extremely tiringfor the user

**Shu:** advanced form of Tenallows Nen-user to extend their aura to an object/ Example= _one could use Shū to extend their Ten around an object, hence _strengthen and protect the object like Ren strengthens and protects the body

**Ken:** advanced version of basic Ren technique/ defensive technique where Nen-user maintains a state of Ren over entire body/ tiring to maintain/ not as strong as Gyō since it protects whole body/ used to guard when one wants to be cautious

**Ko:** strong form of Gyō/ all of an Nen-energy is concentrated into one particular body part/ makes that one body part exceptionally powerful, but leaves the rest of the body completely unprotected

**Ryu:** real-time use of Gyō/ Example: use of Gyō to increase the amount of Nen in fist as one strikes with it, to increase damage done; or to increase the amount of Nen in an arm as it is used to block a blow, for extra defense.


	16. Auction? x Kiddo? x Dearly Beloved

Hey everyone :D I can finally introduce my second 'OC' (though I would rather call him ... Nero's archenemy? xD LOL) Well, anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I apologize for any confusions or mistakes. I'll try to fix them ot explain them proberbly. :3

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><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's. Also, I don't support any violence^^

* * *

><p><strong>Journey into the Unknown 16 - Auction? x Kiddo? x Dearly Beloved...<br>**

"Finally… I thought I'd never arrive in York Shin…" Nero sighed annoyed, as she walked out of the airport. While searching for a hotel, she walked over a market, and was spacing out. But then, she saw a huge crowd, beginning to feel sick again.

"Why the hell is the crowd crowding here?" she asked annoyed, then saw that all of them were standing in front of a small cell phone shop. She decided to ignore it, just wanting to get away from the crowd, but then saw something…

"Hey old man, how much do these cost?" a familiar voice asked.

"400,000 Jenni* for two."

"That's to expensive,. Make it two for 80,000 Jenni."

The bargaining continued like crazy, until the shop owner begged the guy to leave, but he wouldn't let him off like that. Nero now jumped over the crows, finding a bargaining Leorio, and a Gon and a Killua who simply gaped at him in amazement.

"Nero!" Gon and Killua shouted in union.

"Jo." she said grinning, then started to stare in amazement as well. "What the heck…?"

"He's good. He's already bargaining down from down to the ten's!" Killua said.

"Wah! Everyone is looking at us!" Gon said shocked, only now seeing the crowd.

"You only noticed that now?" Nero stared at him in disbelief. After a few more minutes, the crowd started to applaud, since Leorio got two cell phones for a very low price.

"1 for the price of 110,580 Jenni. It's a new model, too." Leorio grinned proudly.

"So that's your hidden talent…" Nero didn't really know what to say.

"It's the first time a saw that the crowd applauded because someone bargained!" Killua grimaced.

"But Leorio did save us a lot of money for us!" Gon grinned.

"Hehe~ Bargain is actually just common sense. If I get serious… what I did back there was nothing!" Leorio boasted.

"Well, even a blind squirrel will find a nut once in a while." Nero remarked deadpan.

"Hey!" Leorio yelled, then grinned and said: "Nero say, did you grow?" Her eyes became sparkly.

"Really?"

"No, just kidding.

"Drop dead… she hissed.

"Just let me tell you, I got the same cell phone for 80,029 Jenni. The shop owner almost kicked me out! That's what I call bargaining!" Leorio said, whistling and continued walking. All three of them just stared blankly after him, wondering if he got the real meaning of the auction…

But then Nero turned to Gon and Killua, asking:

"So you decided to buy a cell phone? Was about time. And it's the same as mine, too." Gon looked somehow worried after she asked, and he answered:

"Kurapica said that he has to work, so maybe we won't have time to meet. But he said if there is time, he'll contact us. So I wanted to get a cell phone so he can contact us anytime!"

*SMACK*

"Ouch!" Gon rubbed the back of his head where Killua had hit him. "Why did you hit me?" Gon asked confused. Killua jerked his thumb in Nero's direction. When Gon looked at her and saw the gloomy aura that surrounded her, he spluttered nervously, completely feeling guilty:

"Wah, I was joking! I-I mean we'll see him soon for sure!" Killua just face palmed and Nero said sighing:

"Don't worry, he told me the same thing."

_"But it's not only Kurapica that worries me... "_ Nero thought, also thinking about her encounter with a certain someone. . .

_"We'll meet each other soon enough. I'll wait for your arrival in York Shin."_ The cold voice echoed in Nero's head.

Gon, Killua and Leoio noticed her solemn face, then Leorio stopped walking and asked, interrupting them:

"All three of you should know how to use Nen now, right?"

"Now?" Nero grimaced and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we've leaned everything." Killua answered.

"No, you learned the basics." Nero objected with a blank face.

"Leorio, you should start learning after you are done with your exam." Gon said. Then Leorio turned around, grinning and said proudly:

"No. I have already learned it."

"Eh…?"

~~~Later~~~

"The lowest bidding price is 8.9 billion Jenni, and you only have 5 million? Are you two nuts?" Leorio asked Gon and Killua, who told him and Nero, while sitting inside their hotel room, about a game, named Greed Island, that they wanted to buy at the auction.

"With the money you have, it won't even be enough to pay for the entrance fee. Even if it will give you clues where t find Gon's father, you'll never have a chance of winning the final bid, so give up." Leorio added.

"Huh? But as far as I know, this game is labeled as 'G' for easy to acquire…" Nero pointed out, placing a finger on her chin.

"Rally?" Leorio shouted, not believing what he heard.

"Yep, the only thing you need to get the game is to be rich." Nero answered and Gon and Killua started to sweat while looking at her.

"Say…" Gon started.

"Big sis, do you know this game?" Killua added. Nero blinked a few times and answered, as if it was the most normal thing on earth:

"Sure?"Their faces turned blue, then fell.

"But why?"

"I'm an Information Hunter, stupid." Nero said irritated.

"WE FORGOT!" they shouted in union, completely discouraged.

"Let me guess, you payed at least 10 million Jenni for information's on the Hunter website, right?" she asked grinning.

"… 20 million." Killua said annoyed.

"Hahahahaha~~~ I could have told you about the game without paying!" Nero started to laugh, almost falling from her chair, while Leorio just started imagining the money they had lost.

"Heh! Money is still the most important thing." Leorio pointed out.

"Anyway, if it's something you can buy with money, that it can't be called a real treasure. But if we can get them easily anyways, we will proof ourselves as professional Hunters!" Killua told them, completely tricking Gon and Leorio, who were already sitting on the computer, searching for more information's.

"_Stupid.. They completely fell for that… _" Nero face palmed. Then after a while, Leorio grinned and said:

"I found a way to auction without losing anything! Let's go, Gon! Evil shrimp" Lil' Killua!"

Nero and Killua almost fell over, then shouted pissed in union:

"Bastard old man, don't call me like that!"

~~~Later~~~

"Welcome! Everybody look this way! Here, here, here! Conditional auction will begin soon! " Leorio shouted. They were outside, in the middle of York Shin. Leorio shouted inside the crowd, and a lot of people stopped to see what was happening.

"The item will be this diamond, worth 3 million Jenni! It's quality is guaranteed, and attached is a certification of authenticity! The bidding condition is arm wrestling! The first person who can win against this young man will receive the diamond for free! Entry fee is only 10,00 Jenni!"

Gon just sat on a table, waiting to arm wrestle, while Killua held the diamond and Nero leaned on the wall behind them with crossed arms, just grimacing annoyed.

"_Crowd…"_ The crowd seemed to be confident to be able to win against Gon, and Leorio opened the auction. Everyone waved with their money, wanting to be first to arm wrestle against Gon.

"Now, now! Please get in a line!" Leorio told them. Then the first one was up against Gon, grinning confidently, while Gon remembered what Nero had told him, though she didn't like the idea.

"_Rule number one: observe the opponent's strength, and consider my own. Number two: Occasionally show how much pain I'm in, pretending to be exerting a lot of effort."_

"Ready…..!" Leorio started, while Nero thought, twitching her eyelid:

"_I just hope he won't break anyone's arm… The plan wouldn't work then…"_

"GO!" Leorio shouted and they started. Gon pretended to need a lot of strength, almost letting himself get beaten, but then, grimacing in pain- in a fake way- he defeated his opponent with ease.

"Too bad, you lose!" Leorio grinned, telling the next one to sit down.

"This will take us years…" Nero snorted annoyed.

~~~A little later~~

After Gon had beaten 150 people already, he seemed to be very tired, sweating a lot, though that was actually just because he hoped that God wouldn't punish him for the way he made money. Much to their surprise, the next challenger was a girl, which even caught Nero's attention.

"Miss how old are you and where are you from?" Leorio started flirting, until the crowd protested, telling him to get serious.

"Nice to meet you, please give me advice as needed." the girl politely said and bowed.

"Same here!" Gon said, a little startled at first, but then bowed as well.

"Please make a fist with your left hand and put it on the table. " Leorio told her and they made themselves ready to start.

_"Gyo!_" Nero thought, concentrating her aura her eyes, eyeing the match.

"Ready.. GO!" Leorio shouted and they started.

Gon gave it his all, but this time, he really had trouble winning. The girl was really strong, and both gave it their all.

"_This girl! She's a Nen user!" _Nero thought with wide eyes, as well as Killua, who seemed to be stunned as well.

Then even the table began to crackle, but in the end Gon could defeat her. However, he was completely exhausted after it.

"It was close, but she lost!" Leorio said and the crowd applauded her. Gon panted und rubbed his arm, while she bowed, again and said goodbye. He bowed again as well, looking after her as she left.

"You used all of your strength, right?" Nero asked Gon, bending down to him.

"Yes. I don't know who that was. " Gon nodded, still being perplexed.

"Maybe she's the World Champion for female arm wrestlers." Killua pointed out. Nero head locked him annoyed and rubbed her knuckles in his head.

"Ouch! What the hell are you doing!" he complained, almost dropping the diamond.

"She used Nen, you idiot! Didn't you use your Gyo? Same goes for you!" she hissed at Gon and Killua, releasing said silver-haired boy. She wanted to look once again after the girl, but couldn't' see her anymore. However, the bad feeling she gave Nero would turn out to be not so wrong…

~~~Later~~~

"Everyone, we're taking a short break now. We'll start again in 5 minutes!" Leorio announced, as Nero arrived with some hamburgers, which Leorio had told her to buy.

"Seems like we'll take awhile, so we'll need to fill up our stomachs." Leorio said, chewing, then asked them to finish eating within 5 minutes. While looking at some notes he made, he said:

"You've beaten 250 people so far, so you've earned 2,5 million Jenni."

"But if we're going for 8,9 billion Jenni, we still have to win 889,750 times." Killua pointed out, chewing on some chips.

"Gon can definitely do it! There is no such thing as 'impossible' in his dictionary!" Leorio shouted hyped up.

"Alright, first, he never uses any dictionary, second, we don't have the time! The auction starts soon. And third, I think nobody will challenge him anymore after he wins a few more times." Nero sighed.

".."

"She's right. At the time we have enough money, the auction will already be over." Killua agreed, grimacing. When he turned his head around, he saw some black cars driving past them, then he asked: "Is that the mafia gathering?"

"No, the Chipmunks." Nero joked deadpan.

"Yeah, the Underground Auction is about to begin. Normal people can't even participate, it's only them." Leorio told Killua.

"Well, it is hosted by various Mafia groups, after all." Nero now said with an apple in her mouth, yet had a solemn face.

Before they could say anything else, the crowd already made a fuss, since their break was too long. Nero almost snapped, wanting to shout back, but Killua covered her mouth with his hand.

"Before someone, or Nero, starts to spill blood, we should start. Alright, auction start!" Leorio announced, and Nero just snorted annoyed, after Killua removed his hand.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"The security around here is very thorough. Other than the sponsors' appointed quests, within 500 meter of the building, nobody will be able to approach." Senritsu, the short girl Kurapica had met in the train, who was a bodyguard now as well as he, said, as both of them watched the entrance from the auction from afar.

"If they didn't do that, there would be many assassins from different organisations coming." Kurapica said calmly.

After they were silent for a while, she asked:

"May I ask you a question?"

"Yeah." he simply responded.

"About the Scarlet Red eyes. What… does that have to do with you?"

"Why… do you wan to know?" he asked, keeping a calm face.

"It's really not a big deal. I'm just curious." she responded smiling, then added:

"Because when we were showed the video with the things that would be on the auction, your heartbeat was very violent. This the melody of that rhythm is a kind of anger that is very unpredictable."

"It looks like I can't lie to you. I'm from the Kuruta tribe. Even though the colour of our eyes are usually blue, once we become endangered or excited, they turn red. In order to avoid people finding out I always wear black contact lenses. I want to find the eyes

that were stolen from my people. I used everything that I could do to get this job. Anyhow, I'm going to return those eyes to my people." he explained, and his expression didn't change. However, when he asked: "Are you going to report it?", Senritsu said:

"I'd better not, since I don't want to be killed."

"I am surprised that you could even sense that." Kurapica said, looking at her.

"It's because your heartbeat doesn't lie. When you told me the story, even though your heartbeat was very stable, I could hear an unusually cold melody beneath it. Only those who are determined can produce that kind of melody. It tells me: 'I won't mind if you tell other people, I'll just have to kill you first.'" she explained. After a few seconds of silence, she added, smiling:

"But there was one time, when we met in the train... Your heartbeat was very tender for a short moment. Did you think of someone important to you?"

He was silent for a few seconds, thinking about someone...

_ "Nero..."_

"There was it again. The cold melody changes into such a lovely, tender one." Senritsu told him, then added, she he eyed her from the corner of his eyes:

"You must really love that person." His eyes widened for a second, since Senritsu seemed to be more than right, but then he composed himself, again, wondering if he should answer, or not. After hesitating, he decided to answer.

"That may be not so far from the truth. But even though I do, I don't want her to get involved with those who stole the eyes from my people." She looked at him, hearing that the tender melody turned into a sad one.

"Love comforteth like sunshine after rain." she then said, wanting to cheer him up. He looked at her, thinking about her words for a moment, maybe even deep down realizing, that these words contained a lot of truth, then asked:

"That is a quote from-"

"William Shakespeare." she finished his sentence smiling. After another moment of silence, while Kurapica thought that Nero had told him one time, that she like some of William Shakespeare's quotes as well, he looked up, looking at the full moon, and asked,

wanting to change the subject: "I wanted to ask you why you started this career."

"Why do you want to know?"

"Nothing. I am just curious." he responded.

"Of course I could tell you, but you probably won't believe me." she said, smiling.

"I can tell from your eyes."

"I'm a professional Hunter. Technically speaking, I'm a Music Hunter. I'm looking for something, a musical score." she now said.

"Even though you are not lying, your eyes show that you are hiding something important."

"Alright, I'll have to say that you are right." she laughed, then continued:

"Truthfully, what I' looking for is… The Dark Sonata. Legend says that it's music composed by the devil. It can be performed on different instruments. When people perform or listen to it, they will encounter an unavoidable disaster."

"Could it be some kind of urban myth?" he asked, though calm, not really believing what she had told him. She rolled up her sleeve, and he was shocked for a moment at what he saw. Then she explained what had happened to her arm, only having listened to one note of the flutes solo from the Dark Sonata.

"I want to find the music score, and destroy it… Making it disappear from this world… The reason why I'm doing is this job is because to find an evil item, I need to start from an evil path. This is also what you are thinking, right?" she said, then smiled and

added: "Now let's return to our mission . The auction is about to start…"

~~~At the auction~~~

2 people stepped on the stage, and the short, blue-haired one announced:

"Ladies and gentleman, I am happy to welcome everyone here tonight. And now… let's skip the speech, and just SEND EVERYONE TO HELL!"

The bigger man behind him then suddenly opened his fingers, and began shooting at the ones who wanted to participate at the auction.

After a few seconds, everyone was already dead, and blood and corpses could be found everywhere in the big room.

"How boring." Franklin, the bigger on,e said.

"I didn't even have a chance to do anything." Feitan, the short one, said, while the silver-blonde haired Lucero simply leaned against a wall with crossed arms, and remarked, no traces of emotion in his voice:

"What a mess."

"Don't complain, Lucero. It's not like you did anything, either." Feitan reminded him. Lucero pushed himself of the wall, without saying anything, as Shizuku entered the room, sucking off the dead bodies wit her conjured vacuum cleaner, named Deme-chan.

"One pest is still alive." Lucero said with a cold voice, yet sounded somehow mocking. Feitan grinned sadistically, walking over to him together with Franklin. When the Mafioso started to threaten them, despite having a body that almost looked like Swiss cheese, being shot by Franklin earlier, too, Franklin simply shot him a few times in his head, killing him.

"They should learn when to be quiet." Lucero said calmly. Feitan only noticed that he was annoyed, due to the furrowed brows that he had for only a second.

~~~Later~~~

While Uvogin was having fun killing the Mafiosi that had chased them, Shizuku, Machi, Franklin and Shalnark were playing cards, while Feitan, Lucero and Nobunaga were watching the massacre amused.

Then suddenly, Lucero, who was standing upright next to Feitan and Nobunaga, with crossed arms, 'Hmpf'ed, and Feitan asked:

"What is it?" Lucero nodded his head briefly, pointing at the people who had arrived.

"Some cockroaches have arrived." Lucero responded, keeping a straight face.

"What should we do?" Nobunaga asked, seeing the Inju, or Shadow beasts.

"What can we do? Didn't Uvogin tell us not to interfere?" Feitan responded. Then Uvogin had to fight against 4 of the Inju. Because one of them was trying to hold him down, he was pissed, punching the ground and squishing the one who had tried to do so.

Also, his punch caused a big explosion. Even the cars from the Mafiosi were blown away, and the other Spiders that were playing cards complained that the cards were blown away, too.

When the dust could was gone, one could see a huge crater, that Uvogin had created with his punch.

"That guy is done for." Feitan said, referring to one of the Inju.

"That Big Bang Impact is really amazing." Nobunaga said, referring to Uvogin attack.

"It's just a straight punch with Nen." Lucero pointed out, emotionless.

"He can release such a punch because it is just a straight punch with Nen." Nobunaga said, then added:

"And since he reached the maximum of his reinforcement type, he must be proud of himself. I remember that is ultimate goal was to get the Big Bang Impact equivalent to the power of a nuclear bomb."

"With Uvo's confidence, he can do it!" Shalnark stated.

"That's true." Nobunaga agreed.

"That's the scary trait of reinforcement-muscle-heads after all." Lucero said coldly. Then they continued to watch the fight. Uvogin seemed to have some problems, since after a while, he got poisoned and couldn't move anymore. Then one of the Inju injected

some Leeches in Uvogin's body, which would cause him to die sooner or later.

But since Uvogin could still move his head, he simply bit off half of the Inju's head, killing him. Then he used his skull as a bullet, simply spitting it out and shot right in the head of another Inju. Because a bullet wouldn't have been of any use against the last

remaining Inju, Uvogin simply shouted, probably bursting his eardrum with the sound wave he created. Fortunately, the other Spiders were quick to cover their ears.

"Warn us before you howl like that!" Franklin yelled.

"Do you want to burst our eardrums or what?" Nobunaga shouted.

"What a barbarian." Lucero remarked icily, and the only way to figure out that he was incredibly annoyed was his eyebrow, that had twitched only one time.

"Sorry, sorry! But it should be easy for you guys to cover your ears before the sound reached you!" Uvogin said, still sitting inside the crater, then said:

"Hey, Shizuku, use your vacuum cleaner to suck out the poison and leeches!"

"Deme-chan should be able to suck out the poison, but the leeches are alive, so it's impossible to suck them out." she responded, putting her hands around her mouth.

"What?" he shouted shocked.

"Let me take a look at it." Shalnark said, jumping down to Uvogin. When he looked at the leeches, he told hi to drink a lot so that they would come out of his body.

However, not a heartbeat later, Uvogin was wrapped with a chain, then dragged away. However, Machi was fast enough to attach one of her strings at Uvogin, so that they could follow him.

"Another member of the Inju? Uvo couldn't move because of the poison." Nobunaga said.

"It can't be helped. We have to save him." Shalnark shrugged.

"How troublesome." Lucero remarked coldly.

"True, but if we go now, we can still catch up." Machi told them, after agreeing with Lucero, also mentioning the string she had attached to Uvo.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"Do you really think this chain can restrain me? I advise you to kill me now, or you'll regret it." Uvogin said, while sitting in a car.

"Shut up." Kurapica commanded icily. When Uvogin still continued to talk, Kurapica tightened his chain around Uvo's body, causing him to pass out.

"_Chain Jail can only be used on you. It's used to strip you of your freedom! It's used especially against you Spiders If this Nen is used on people other than members of the Ryodan, I will die instantly. That was the restriction and oath_!" Kurapica thought. Then suddenly,

Senritsu, who was in the car as well, said: "Someone's coming!"

They looked behind them, noticing that another car was following tem with great speed. Kurapica wondered a second how they were able to follow them, but then used Gyo, seeing the string Machi had attached to Uvogin. They speeded up, and before they other car could catch up to them, someone jumped on the car of the followers, while Kurapica and the others escaped.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Someone jumped on the car's hood and a red cloth wrapped around the car, shrinking it. However, the Spiders were ffast enough to get out of the car, besides Nobunaga…

"Hey, let me out!" Nobunaga shouted from inside the cloth.

"Loser." Lucero simply remarked.

"You guys really are something. You posses the agility to escape in a fraction of a second. Seems like I didn't waste my time to come here." Owl, one of the Inju said, while the Spiders faced him.

"Hey you! Don't look down on me!" Nobunaga complained from inside of the cloth."Too bad. Nobunaga sat in the wrong spot of the car." Feitan said, but seemed slightly amused by it.

"Don't make excuses for his stupidity." Lucero remarked with a straight face, yet his aura gave off the vibe that he was annoyed.

"Oh, shut up, kiddo!" Nobunaga shouted and Lucero turned his head slightly, while closing his eyes, ignoring his complains, but his eyebrow twitched annoyed as he heard 'kiddo', hating being called like that. The other members looked at him, nowing that it wasn't the best idea to call him like that.

"Was that really necessary?" Shalnark shook his head.

"Eh?" Shizuku suddenly said, looking up. They followed her gaze and saw the remaining Inju.

"What's with these people? Are they really the legendary Ryodan? How pathetic!" one of them said mockingly.

"Eh? Inju has 10 people altogether, right?" Shizuku asked.

"Looks like all of these little pests are here." Lucero said calmly, but seemed to get more and more irritated.

"That's weird. Didn't the one with the chain that captured Uvo already escape?" Feitan asked.

"Then he's not a member of the Inju." Machi pointed out.

"Well, we will just have to ask them." Feitan said, somehow sounding sadistic. While Feitan began to torture one of them, Lucero was called 'kiddo' by one of the Inju, making him snap. He released his Nen, using his Transformation type to form crimson coloured bubbles.

_"Blood Bubbles."_

He captured the remaining Inju with them, then slowly crushed them, making the bubbles smaller.

"Last words? I don't want to hear them." he said icily, shooting him such a cold glance, that it could have frozen an active vulcano. Not a second later one of the Inju's already popped like a bubble, not being able to withstand the pressure. Then he turned to

the other ones, and let his bubbles explode, creating a huge dust cloud, though not making any sound, while some blood splashed around. After killing them, he brushed off the dust from his clothes, and simply walked over to the others.

"Scary… Damn Nobunaga, why did you piss him off?" Shalnark asked in disbelief, turning to Nobunaga, who was released now.

"Because it's funny seeing this ice cube pissed." he simply responded, then added: "And I was released way faster this way."

"Seriously… calling a 22 year old, 185 cm tall man 'kiddo'…of course he's pissed." Shalnark sighed, while Lucero simply snorted annoyed, deciding to ignore them.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"Look! How about it?" Leorio asked hyped up, showing Nero, Gon and Killua his 'Nen'.

". . ." Nero just started blankly at him, then turned her head away again, continuing to read her book.

"Err… That's the ability of Ten." Gon told Leorio.

"Eh? You mean there are other abilities of Nen?" Leorio asked with a confused expression.

"I knew it." Killua sighed annoyed, while Nero almost fell from her chair as she heard him asking.

. . .

"You really leaned all this stuff?" Leorio asked irritated, trying to do other Nen techniques.

"It was a piece of cake, right, Gon?" Killua said, somehow sounding mocking.

"I believe Leorio will learn it soon." Gon encouraged him.

"That's wishful thinking." Nero and Killua mumbled under their breath.

"Argh! I give up!" Leorio yelled, then added, grabbing his jacket: "I'm going out."

"Where are you going?" Gon asked.

"I'm only going for a walk."

"At this time?" Gon asked.

"Haven't you heard about the night market of York Shin? This is the time for us adults. And that's why I'm taking the evil shrimp along. And you kids hurry up and go to sleep." Leorio told them.

"Uh-huh…" Nero only said, while spacing out, then realised what he had said and shot her head up.

"No-way-in-hell." Nero said annoyed, with a blank face, thinking about the crowd that would be on the market.

"Leorio, if you bump into Kurapica, bring him here. Even though he says he is buys and has no time, Gon and that that lovesick idiot over there wants to see him." Killua said, with a lollipop in his mouth. However, for the 'lovesick idiot', he got hit by a pillow.

"Zip it." Nero hissed, but before she could start to complain any further, Leorio ruffled Killua's hair and said mockingly:

"Kids in their diapers shouldn't be talking like you own at all. Instead of ordering me to bring him back, you should say, 'Please, Leorio-san~'."

"The one who acts like that is you! Can't even learn Ten. Half-learners like you shouldn't use violence against kids." Killua told him annoyed, grimacing.

"Ah, that's truly not a gentleman's behaviour." Leorio said, still teasingly.

"Gentleman? I think you would be more or likely one of the perv's that grope girls in the train." Nero remarked deadpan. Instead of yelling at her, he simply threw her over his shoulder, and walked out of the room while carrying her, not reacting to her yells and complains.

"Excuse us. You two kids go sleep first!" Leorio grinned at Gon and Killua, while Nero hit Leorio in the back of his head, causing him to get a huge bump.

"Let me go, you perverted old man!" Gon and Killua heard Nero hissing, while she was carried out of the Hotel.

"I hope Leorio can find Kurapica." Gon said smiling.

"York Shin is much larger than Whale Island. It's impossible!" Killua waved his hand.

"But sometimes the world is a small place! And also…" Gon said excited, then his expression became worried, as he added: "And also, though Nero seems tough, she is sad right now. She keeps her feelings for herself, again. But I don't want her to be sad... "

"Yeah, but what can we do to help her? This idiot probably doesn't even realize that she is in love with him, because she is way too stubborn." Killua agreed, being a little worried about her as well, then sighed annoyed. Then he saw Gon's expression, who already thought about how to help her.

"Anyway, I believe he will contact us soon. That's why you bought the cell phone after all. And if not we'll just drag him here." Killua told him, then blushed as he pointed at the TV, and said with a mischievous tone, obviously having impure thoughts, making Gon blush:

"Anyway, since Leorio and big sis finally went out, let's check out if there is an 'exciting movie' on the service channel. This is one of the advantages of a cheap hotel."

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"Seriously… Dragging me out like I'm some kind of potato bag…" Nero mumbled under her breath, grimacing annoyed, while she and Leorio posted bills in the streets of York Shin for the arm wrestling.

"Couldn't be helped. Seeing you moping because your worried about our Mr. Perfect doesn't suit you at all." he told her, while both of them now walked over a bridge, seeing the sea of lights of York Shin.

"I'm not." she responded slightly irritated, resting her arms on the bridge railing. He did the same, and said sighing, while watching the beautiful view of York Shin at night:

"Stubborn as ever."

". . . Shut up." she said rather lamely after being quiet for a second, remembering the last past months since she had met Kurapica and the others for some reason.

"He'll be fine. Don't worry too much." he told her.

"Hmm.. Maybe, but … well, he's up against the Spiders, and he doesn't rely on us. I just feel a little helpless, that's all." she now rested her head in her arms, looking at the city as well.

"If we meet up, we'll give him a lecture." he grinned, trying to encourage Nero, then ruffled her hair, much to her dismay, though she agreed, slightly nodding. After a few moments of silence he asked, watching the sea of lights, again, like she did:

"You love him, don't you?"

"Uh-huh…" she responded, not really realizing what he said because she spaced out, wondering what Kurapica was doing. Then she suddenly realized it, freaking out. She jumped back, completely startled, flushed red and spluttered flustered:

"W-What the hell are you saying, idiot? How can you ask something so stupid?" He laughed, then said teasingly, with a mischievous tone:

"You can say what you want, your reaction shows that I'm right."

"N-No way!" she tried to object, though her heartbeat told her something else. Then she was deep in thought, placing her hand on her chin, and Leorio almost thought that her head would start to smoke. But then, Nero suddenly realized something.

Her eyes widened, as she remembered her grandfather words, finally understanding what he always had tried to tell her.

_"Nero, you must learn what's really important to you."_

"_What's really important to me, huh? I get it. Of course, my friends are very important to me, but the most important thing for me is…" _she thought and was quiet, hiding her eyes behind her bangs.

Leorio looked at her a little worried then wanted to ask if she was alright, but she was faster to say something.

"I'm so stupid!" she shouted, ruffling her hair in frustration. Leorio gaped at her in disbelief, not really knowing what to say.

"A-Are you okay?"

She stopped, then face palmed, though she smiled. She looked at him, still smiling, then looked at the sea of lights again, saying, with a somehow gentle sounding voice:

"I'm alright. I just realized something... something important…"

He studied her expression, that somehow showed pure hearted affection.

"I always thought only fools fall in love. And I just can't believe that I'm such a big one..."

He looked confused for a second, then got what she was trying to tell him, smiling to himself.

"Okay then, let's drag him to the meeting, even if he starts crying like a little child!" Leorio said hyped up. She grinned, but then abruptly remembered something and her face fell in shock.

"We should go back."

"Huh?"

"We left Killua alone with the night channel in a cheap hotel." she said face palming.

"Gon will be in shock for the rest of his life." Leorio agreed, and both hurried back to the hotel, not knowing that the next days would bring so many dangers with them. . .

* * *

><p>*dies* XD<p>

* Jenni: the currency of Hunter x Hunter (I picked the spelling from Hunterpedia once again :D)

Alright, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm sorry that Kurapica and Nero can't meet at the moment -.- I hate that myself. However, you can look forward to the next chapter. Just let me say this:

Next time on Journey into the Unknown, Nero get's to kick (or not xD) Nobunaga's ass, after being captured (maybe XD) together with Gon and Killua O_O Also, Kurapica get's to fight Uvogin! And what about Lucero? Well, until then, JA NE ;) *waves*


	17. Kurapica vs Uvogin? x Pursuit!

Hey everyone! Let's celebrate the start of my holidays with an extra long chapter^^ I have no idea how it turned out to be so long, LOL XD Anyway, please enjoy this chapter, and I apologize for aany confusions or mistakes. I'll try to fix them or explain probably.

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's. Also, I don't support any violence^^

* * *

><p><strong>Journey into the Unknown 17 - Kurapica vs Uvogin? x Pursuit!<br>**

"Things will get complicated. We'll take the boss away from here right now. Register another room." Kurapica, who was now the leader of Neon's bodyguards, told the others.

"Another room?"

"It's a better choice than making a ruckus by leaving this place. Bunt don't use a fake name. Use Senritsu's or Basho to register." Kurapica said calmly.

"Okay, I understand." Squalla, one of the bodyguards, said, running out of the room.

"Don't let the boss or anyone else leave that room." Kurapica commanded.

"Kurapica, what about you?" Senritsu asked him.

"I will stay here." he said calmly. The others looked at him, shocked at first, but the Senritsu listened to his heartbeat.

"_How can his heart emit such a clear sound? A crazy monster is about to arrive. However, I cannot feel a single trace of chaos in your heartbeat." _she thought, then left with the others, though hesitating.

"_I'll be fine, because I know the opponent's strength clearly. I won't die easily." _That were Kurapica's last words before they left the room. Words, he said calmly, yet determined.

. . .

"_You're right. You won't die easily. Someone is waiting for you…"_. . .

. . .

~~~The next day, somewhere else~~~

Thanks to Leorio, they could enter the underground auction, same as Nero, Gon and Killua, after beating someone at their arm wrestle 'auction.

"The underground auction?" Gon asked surprised, after they entered.

"It's a place to exchange forbidden items between members of the Mafia." Nero shrugged, while having a green face.

"You know this place?" Gon asked her. She looked at him, then pointed at herself with a blank expression and simply said:

"Information Hunter."

"So arm wrestling was just a mere excuse." Killua pointed out, looking at Leorio.

"Although the value of each item varies, their capital costs are all sky high." Leorio explained, showing the card he was given before, so that he could enter the auction.

"Leorio you seem to know this place well." Gon said, kind of not knowing what else to say.

"Were you really studying in med school?" Killua asked mockingly.

"Be quiet." Leorio said, opening the door. Everyone glared t them when they entered, and Killua said, sounding amused:

"Oh, there's danger in the atmosphere."

"No, it's just because Leorio looks weird." Nero joked deadpan.

Then suddenly, before Leoio could yell at her, the lights went out and the stage was enlightened, showing the rather... 'flashy' auctioneer.

"Alright! Welcome to our auction! Well then, let's begin! The requirements for today's bid is… Hide and Seek!" he shouted with a voice that made Nero wonder if he had a cold...

"Hide and Seek?" Gon asked, then they were handed a picture that showed 8 people.

"Now everyone, please look at the photos in your hands. These 8 people will be your targets of our first round of Hide and Seek!" the auctioneer said. Nero looked at the photos, and caught her breath. Her eyes widened and she was simply shocked. On one of the photos could be seen a silver-blonde haired male with green eyes.

"_That guy…!"_

"Nero?" Gon called out to her, being worried, However, she didn't respond, having tensed up.

"The requirements are to capture these 8 targets, then hand them over to our main office. Each target will earn you a check for 2 billion Jenni!" the auctioneer announced.

"2 billion?" Killua asked in disbelief.

"That means 14 billion for 8 people!" Gon said excitedly.

"It's 16 billion." Leorio corrected him.

"It does not matter whether these 8 people are dead or alive. Of course you can capture them however you want to. Please contact us after you succeed. To participate in this auction will cost you 5 million Jenni." the flashy auctioneer continued.

"What are we gonna do?" Leorio asked.

"Of course we're entering! If we capture them, we'll be rich overnight!" Gon said hyped up, and Leorio and Killua grinned, tossing the money over to the auctioneer.

"We're in!"

~~~Outside~~~

"Say, what's wrong with you three? Let's hurry up and start searching!" Gon said, still hyped up, while the others were just sitting on a park bench, while the sun was about to set.

"Hold on, Gon. Don't you think the auction was a bit weird?" Killua asked his friends, who just asked innocently:

"Weird? How?"

"I knew it…" Killua sighed, then explained. "Naturally, auctions should be where you buy stuff, but isn't it weird that they are offering checks?"

"I guess so…" Gon responded.

"It seems like they're really desperate to find these guys." Leorio pointed out grinning.

"It seems that the Mafia has no other choice. Looks like they are willing to sacrifice all their time and money to find these guys."

"Yes, you can tell that the Mafia is getting anxious. Anyway, that underground auction was definitely not part of their original plan. From all these facts, only one conclusion can be drawn. That is that the items for the auction were stolen by these guys." Leorio said.

"They actually have the guts to steal the Mafia's treasures? These guys must be crazy!" Killua pointed out.

"But it's clear now who these people are." Nero suddenly said, who had been quiet for a while. They looked at her, and she added: "Genei Ryodan."

"These people are members of Genei Ryodan?" Gon asked, sounding shocked.

"That's why it's no surprise that each are worth 2 billion Jenni." Nero said, crossing her arms behind her head and made a very solemn face.

"Nero, contact Kurapica first. Tell him that we have leads to the Genei Ryodan." Leorio told her.

"Geez, you don't need to tell me." she responded irritated, taking her cell phone out of her pocket. However, she hesitated to call, not really wanting him to fight them.

"_If Lucero is part of the Genei Ryodan, it's even more dangerous than they can imagine… ." _she thought, but then called him. However, he didn't pick up. . .

~~~Later~~~

"It's no use. He's not picking up." Nero sighed, same as Gon, after they had tried to call him a few times now.

"Maybe something is just preventing him from picking up." Leorio tried to cheer them up.

"By the way, this news has started spreading already." Killua said, holding up the photos of the Spiders, then added: "Kurapica probably has found their location already."

"Maybe he has even captured two or three of them." Leorio said, sounding somehow as if he was joking.

"My father…" Killua started.

"Huh?"

"He killed a member of the Ryodan for a client. I hardly hear him complain, yet he said that the pay wasn't worth it. Though I think that his purpose for saying that was to compliment the target. He also told us: 'Don't go near the Ryodan'. That happened about three years ago."

"Gramps told me something similar. Though he also kind of complimented them… He hardly ever tells me not to fight against someone, yet he told me not to even think about it." Nero agreed, grimacing annoyed.

"Have you told Kurapica about this?" Leorio asked.

"Nope."

"No point anyway."

"The question is, what should we do now?" Gon then asked.

"Good question." Killua said.

"Capturing one member will earn you 2 billion Jenni. But all of them are from the Genei Ryodan, right?" Leorio pointed out.

"I have to. No matter what. "Nero said determined, turning around.

"You have to? Don't say you're just suicidal because of Kurapica?" Leorio asked teasingly, and Killua snickered. She slowly turend her head at them, as a very dark aura surrounded her. Then she hissed, sounding very intimidating, making the other three

flinch:

"Don't push your luck, Dr. Dolittle, or I'll hace to auction off your entrails."

_"Who the heck is more scray? A pissed off Nero, or the Spiders?_" Leorio and Killua thought in union, sweating nervously, still eyeing her as if she would scratch their eyes out, while Gon just laughed nervously. Nero saw their nervous expressions, then snorted annoyed and said, not making eye contact:

"He is one of the reasons I want to go after the Ryodan, but not the only one…" then she went quiet, and made a solemn face again.

"Why do I have the feeling you know something we don't?" Killua asked, being kind of suspicious. She looked at him, still with a straight face, but then sighed and gave in. She pointed at one of the pictures and explained.

"That guy… His name is Lucero. On the day Rain Vale got destroyed, and it's treasures were stolen, he appeared. I still don't know what he wanted there on that day, but I don't have a good feeling about him. Honestly, I never wanted to see him again. However, the day Gon, Killua and I parted from the Celestial Tower, I met him. I'm not so sure if it was coincidence, or if he planned to meet me, and neither I knew that he was part of the Spiders."

They just looked at her, kinda shocked and didn't know what to say, but then Leorio asked:

"He is part if the Spiders? And you still live after encountering him?"

"Well, I have the bad feeling that he knows about something that he shouldn't, that nobody should know of to begin with. However, he was mostly quiet, even after I asked him what he wanted. He just said that I know about a certain 'thing' and that he

wants it, then just left and said that he'll be waiting for my arrival in York Shin... That stalker..." Nero answered and explained, then grimaced annoyed, thinking about how Lucero knew where she would be...

". . . And what is that 'thing'?" he asked, rasing an eyebrow.

"I can't tell you, at least not yet. It's dangerous to know this. However, I will go after the Spiders." she shrugged, and Gon looked at her determined expression, then said:

"I'll do it, too! We can't quit now!"

~~~Later~~~

"What! Split up and look for each member?" Killua shouted in disbelief.

"From that reaction, I suggest you don't like my plan?" Leorio yelled as well.

"That's not what I meant. I'm just wondering about your chances of capturing them." Killua said.

"Lower than 0%." Nero remarked deadpan.

"But you saw I, too, right? The Hunter's website costs 100 million Jenni for any information's on the Spiders!" Leorio yelled.

"I bet since the information about each member is different, it'll cost us even more." Killua said teasingly, knowing that Leorio would get pissed, if it was about money.

"So in the end, we still have to rely on our own abilities to find them." Gon pointed put.

"That is. . . Huh?"

~~~4 hours later~~~

Without even spotting a real spider, they sat down, completely discouraged at first.

"Looks like we'll have to resort to information reports." Leorio sighed annoyed, then asked, remembering something:

"Oh, yeah, have you been able to contact Kurapica?"

"Nope, seems like he's turned off his cell phone." Killua responded.

"I see. He probably has more information's than us." Leorio said.

"Even so, he has to be willing to tell us."

"What do you mean? Of course he will!" Leorio said irritated.

"I wonder.. " Nero said, gazing into space, thinking about Kurapica.

"From the looks of it, he doesn't seem to want our help at all. Or else, he would have contacted us." Killua told him.

"We'll have to depend on our own abilities right now. When we really need to rely on Kurapica, I'm sure we'll be able to contact him! On the other hand, when Kurapica really needs our help, he'll surely contact us, too!" Gon encouraged them.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"_I wish to share the happiness with my comrades. Also to share the sorrow. Please forever bless the members of the Kuruta clan. Allow our scarlet eyes to be the witness."_

. . .

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Uvogin said to Kurapica, clenching the bear can he emptied, then added:

"I have a question for you. I can feel that you're not a normal fighter." Then he used the crushed beer can as a bullet, throwing it at Kurapica, who simply used his chain to dodge it, not moving from his spot.

"Especially the Nen in that chain. It seems that your Nen has a special determination to it. Who are you?"

"Before I answer that…" Kurapica started with a deathly calm, tossing away his kimono-like coat, then added:

"I have a question to ask you first. Do you remember the ones you have killed?"

"Somewhat. Only if they leave me with a strong impression, I'll never forget them. Well, that depends on their abilities. So you're here for revenge? Who are you avenging for?" Uvogin asked, then grinned cockily.

"The Kuruta clan." Kurapica answered coldly.

"Never heard of it."

"It's a clan of people with scarlet eyes that live in the Lukso village. Five years ago, they were annihilated by your organisation."

"Scarlet eyes? What's that? I can't recall anything. However, if it was five years ago, then I was already one of them." Uvogin responded amused.

"When you brutally murdered those innocent people, what were your… What were your thoughts then? What were your feelings?" Kurapica asked, almost not being able to stay calm anymore.

"Nothing. I had no feelings." Uvogin responded grinning and Kurapica snapped.

"Bastard! I'll destroy you!" Both of them increased their Ren and Ten, and Uvogin said excitedly:

"I occasionally encounter people like you that get my blood boiling! I'll tell you right now what my favourite hobby is! It's to send all idiots that want revenge to hell!"

Then Uvogin hit the ground, but Kurapica jumped aside, trying to hit Uvo with his chain. However, Uvogin, too, could duck himself, then counterattacked, knowing that he couldn't underestimate Kurapica's chain. He punched Kurapica, who guarded himself with his arm, but was send flying, though still being able to counterattack him with his chain.

He stood up, again, and Uvo was actually confident that his arm would be useless after getting hit. However, Kurapica was unharmed, much to Uvogin's shock.

"A question. Don't tell me you've used all your strength in that punch?" Kurapica asked him icily, an Uvogin responded, releasing more of his Nen:

"Don't worry. I just used 20% of my strength just now. Now I'll use 50%!" He attacked Kurapica, wanting to punch him, but said boy already appeared behind him, hitting him in the back of his head, then kicking him in the back, only to kick him in the back of his head after that, crushing his face in some rocks.

"Seems like your pretty confident in your agility. However-" Uvogin wanted to say something, but Kurapica already interrupted him, giving him a very cold glare.

"You want to say that I'll regret not using the chain to confine you? Stop this little game with me, it's ridiculous. Fight for real! You're making me waste my time!"

"Then I won't hold back. I'll give you everything!" Uvogin shouted, releasing all of his power, then attacked. Kurapica ducked himself, kicking Uvogin against his chin, then jumped back. However, because Uvo hit the ground, a huge dust cloud limited Kurapica's vision, and Uvogin also seemed to hide his presence with In. Not a heartbeat later, Uvogin appeared behind him, wanting to punch his back, but Kurapica noticed him soon enough, turning around an guarding himself with his arm.

"This time you'll be in pieces!" Uvo shouted, and Kurapica was pushed back, then hit the ground.

"If I use all my strength in my Big Bang Impact, no one can block with their body! Though I have to compliment you. That punch should have shattered you into pieces! You even have detected my movements trough the slight shifting of the dust."

"I will also say… I underestimated you." Kurapica said, pushing himself on his feet, shocking Uvogin, again, then added:

"Being the type of fighter you are, you are actually able remain calm to release your power in a battle situation. However, you are not the only one who can use In." Now Uvogin looked at his body, noticing that he was wrapped with Kurapica's chain.

"This chain has been materialized from the aura of my Nen ability. It can also be concealed by using In. " Kurapica explained the ability of his middle finger Nen ability, Chain Jail.

"So your purpose of materializing the chain to a real object, is to deceive others into thinking that it is a real chain!" Uvogin pointed out shocked, realizing the situation he was in.

"Actually, I use the materialized chain to appear as a Nen user of the Manipulation group. Therefore my opponents will place their attention on the chain instead. You're a perfect example of this." Kurapica told him, while Uvogin tried to free himself.

"You look like you are confused. How about I guide you to the right track?" Kurapica said, taking out one of his contact lenses, revealing one of his scarlet eyes.

"As of now, I am a Specialization user. I can only be from Specialization when my eyes turn red."

"I remember now! A group of people whose eyes turned red! They hid their existence well! But the boss took special notice of your eyes." Uvogin said.

"_That mission was a tough one. Those guys were strong. So he's one of them."_

"How exciting! Let's see which is stronger! Your hatred, or my strength!" Uvogin shouted.

"Seems like your ability is really that of reinforcement. This is your end." Kurapica said icily, then remembered what his master, who taught him Nen, had told him. . .

"_I want to advise you one last time. Give it up. Even if you are successful in this revenge, there is no benefit from it. All that's left is emptiness, and your bloodstained hands. Don't believe that you're strong enough to carry this burden all your life. This is your last chance. Give it up. Forget about revenge."_

. . .

Uvogin still struggled against Kurapica's chain, trying to free himself, but couldn't. "Bastard! I can't break it! What did you…" he shouted.

"Though I'm from the Specialization group, I can utilize the Nen of all groups to 100%." Kurapica said calmly, then wrapped his thumb chain around his arm, healing it.

"Even the bones that have been broken can be healed?" Uvogin asked in shock.

"The restriction states, that it will strip all freedom of the Spiders that I've captured, then force the opponent in a state of Zetsu." Kurapica explained.

"No wonder I can't utilize my aura at all!" Uvogin clenched his teeth.

"As soon as you're confined by my chain, you won't escape unless you use brute force to break free. You are the physical strongest among the Spiders. If even you can't break free, then other members don't stand a chance."

"_If all my Nen abilities are restricted by this chain, I won't have a chance to utilize my power! Nen ability plus restrictions, this guy is truly strong!" _Uvogin thought, and not a heartbeat later, he was already punched by Kurapica.

"Right now you're defending against my strength in Nen with your body. Looks like my strength is overpowering your defence. This is something to take note of. It seems like I can just use my fist to defeat all the members of the Ryodan. You better tell me

everything you know." Kurapica said calmly, punching him again. "Where are your comrades?"

"Kill me." was the only thing Uvogin responded, only to get hit again and blood began to drip out of his mouth.

"What other types of Nen users are there?"

"Kill me." Then Kurapica hit him again, and he coughed up blood.

"Actually, I'm sick of you. The sensation staying on my hand, sounds coming to my ears, smell of your blood… All that Is getting on my nerves… WHY CAN'T YOU THINK OF ANYTHING? WHY DON'T YOU FEEL ANYTHING? IS THAT ONLY POSSIBLE? ANSWER ME!"

Kurapica shouted, the anger, hatred overwhelming him, then had enough and wrapped his Judgement Chain around Uvogin's heart.

"It is your last chance. From here on you are at my mercy. If you break the law that holds my chain back, it will instantly pierce your heart. The law is: 'answer all my questions truthfully'! If you follow it, I'll let you live a bit longer. Where are the others?"

"You can go to hell, bastard." Uvogin responded grinning, and not a second later, his heart got pierced by Kurapica's chain, killing him.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"You son of a... rotten toaster!" Nero cursed the computer, who still didn't show any results, even after hours of searching. She almost kicked the computer, if Gon wouldn't have tried to calm her down.

"Nero, please. I'm sure we'll find something!"

"No way!" I'm showing this little piece of electronic-trash how far it can get when it competes against me in 'kick-boxing'!" she hissed, and her face darkened, glaring at the monitor.

"The reward of 2 billion Jenni for a member of the Spiders is very tempting, but it's pretty hard to find the leads." Killua said.

"Really?" Gon asked.

"It's important to have a large range of information's. Especially if you're up against A class criminals. But usually, no one be willing to provide any information without some sort of compensation." Nero snorted annoyed, thinking of a solution.

"But that way we'll have to spend lots of money for information's." Killua rubbed the back of his head and sighed.

"Yes, and if we give a reward, the amount of fake info will increase. And then we would need a lot time to check if the info is real or not. But we only have 3 days, so we have to think of another way." Nero said playing with one of her earrings, while searching

for information's and typing in the speed of light, letting the other three gape at her in amazement.

Then she suddenly turned in her office chair, looking at them with a serious face, saying: "Seems like I have to use a little trick, but since we only have 3 days left, it should work."

"Really?" Gon and Killua asked hopefully. She nodded briefly, then said:

"We'll ask questions. We can ask about the witness where thy saw the Ryodan. It's very unlikely that the info about their location can be revealed over the internet. However, if we receive reports that they are still in York Sin, we have a higher chance that the info is reliable."

"You may be right. But you can't confirm that the Ryodan are still in this city." Killua said.

"Well, of my calculations are accurate, then we have the chance about 85% that the Spiders are still here." Nero told him, grinning.

They looked at her with wide eyes, then Killua asked:

"What Do you mean?"

"The transportation are all under the surveillance by the Mafia. They couldn't leave here without being noticed, which would create a big ruckus. If they simply wanted to leave the city, they could have done so from the beginning, they would have been noticed anyway. However, I think that they want to avoid that, which would mean that they will pass up their chance of leaving quietly." Nero explained.

"I get it now." Killua agreed.

"Nero?" Gon asked.

"Hmm?"

"The Southern Peace Auction starts on the 6th, right?"

"Err, yes?"

"Then we still have time! If we could capture one of them during these 3 days until the auction, we could tie him, and make him confess where the other members are! That's a possibility!" Gon suggested.

"Since when are you that violent?" Killua and Nero gaped at him in disbelief.

"But there is still the problem with the money. We only have 3 million Jenni left!" Leorio reminded Gon.

"And someone already promised 8 million for any valuable information…"Killua pointed out.

"I can give 15 million!" Gon suddenly said.

"What?" Leorio asked.

"Where would you get that much money?" Killua asked, then took out his Hunter Licence Card, looking completely serious, almost causing Nero to fall over, being shocked.

~~~The next day~~~

After pawning his Hunter Licence Card, though Nero made a really big fuss, Gon received his money, and they decided to buy a Southern Peace Auction Catalogue, a Catalogue which also contained an entrance ticket. After they bought the catalogue, they

went to a tag bid market.

"A tag bid market?" Gon asked.

"You write on the paper the price you're willing to pay for the object. As far as I know, it's an infamous market." Nero explained, then sighed a little annoyed, since the market was crowded.

"It's as if the auction and flea market were rolled up into one." Leorio pointed out.

"However, if you know how, then you can find pretty interesting stuff here." Nero grinned.

Then suddenly, Gon stopped, being interested in a special looking Knife. Leorio bargained ad they got t for 300 Jenni.

"It can't be wrong. It's authentic." Killua said, looking at the knife.

"What in the world is it?" Leorio asked.

"It's a 'Benz Knife'." Killua answered.

"Benz Knife?" Gon repeated, having no idea what he meant.

"Benni Doron was a serial killer who lived 100 years ago. 'Benz' is the name he gave to his knifes." Killua explained.

"Benni Doron was sabre blacksmith. Each time he killed someone he made a knife as a souvenir, and engraved a number on it. He made 288 of them. He sold them in his shop exactly as the other knives and sabres. 'Cries and the expression of victims give me

inspiration', is what was written in the book he wrote in jail." Nero explained.

"Yep, and during his time in jail, he had numerous fans. My father liked him, too. Since it's the wok of a murderer, it's not easy to name the value, but maybe we have luck and find an interested collector." Killua said.

"Uh-huh, I'd say it's worth at least 5 million Jenni…" Nero pointed out, spinning the knife in her hand.

"Are you serious?" Gon's and Leorio's jaw's almost dropped on the ground.

"Haven't you heard of it before? Then how did you know?" Killua asked.

"When I first saw it, I had a weird feeling about it, so I looked at it using Gyo." Gon told him.

"You can see a faint aura when you look at it with Gyo." Nero shrugged, and Killua looked at it, using his Gyo as well, while Leorio just looked confused.

"You can use this method to make money. It's not 100% reliable, but I'd say about 93%." Nero suddenly, said, rubbing her chin.

"What do you mean?"

"Some people are not aware of their special talent. They use Nen unconsciously." Nero explained and Killua's expression brightened, getting what she meant.

"Yeah! If we could find more items like this aura-emitting knife here…"

"This way we can find specially hidden antiques!" Gon said excitedly.

"Then we can sell them for high prices at the auction!" Killua said hyped up.

"We'll since you don't need 4 people for that, I'll wait at the hotel for further information's." Leorio said.

"And I'll go back as well to investigate a bit more about the Spiders."

"You just don't want to be on the crowded market." Killua said teasingly.

"Shut up."

"Alright, then let's do it!" Leorio said hyped up. Then Gon and Killua started to run around the market, while Nero and Leorio headed back.

~~~Later~~~

They met up inside a café, seeing the two targets, after having received the information's about them. Leorio contacted the couple who send them the information's, transferring the money to their account instantly.

"Okay, the problem is what to do next. What do I have to do to capture them?" Leoio asked.

"It's impossible. They aren't the kind of people you guys can handle." Nero said unenthusiastically, sipping on her ice tea.

"What the…? Being so pessimistic all of a sudden!" Leorio said irritated.

"Don't get too loud, they'll find us!" Killua told him.

"Gon, say something!"

"I don't think it'll be that easy either." Gon told Leorio, then added: "But I still think we need to make a move. But right now it seems like I was to naïve."

"Me too. Because of what my father told me three years ago. There might be some ways now, but it'll still be very hard." Killua agreed.

"Are they really that good?" Leorio asked discouraged.

"Just imagine two Hisoka's sitting over there." Nero said with a bored expression, holding up two fingers. Leorio grimaced and a cold chill ran down his spine just thinking about it.

"You're giving me the chills! I give up with just that."

"And another thing, why do you think are two Spiders hanging around this area?" Killua asked with a serious face. Leorio's face was serious as well, then said, being completely sure that's what Killua meant:

"That has to be because. . . They're on a date!"

"Really?" Gon blushed.

"Like hell!" Nero and Killua yelled annoyed in union.

"They're pretending to be a couple." Killua corrected him, then added:

"They seem really calm while observing their surroundings carefully. Any closer and they'll be on alert." Killua told them.

"Yeah, but now that I think about it, it's weird that they're at such a crowded place. It seems like they're waiting to be found. 'Spider' seems to be a fitting word." Nero said, supporting her head with her hand, as she looked out of the window, watching the Machi and Nobunaga.

"Yeah, they're waiting to be found. Waiting for their prey to fall into their web." Killua agreed.

Not a second later, the atmosphere became really tense, and they could feel their murderous aura clearly, making Gon, Killua and Leorio flinch.

"Something really bad is coming from that direction." Gon pointed out, almost breaking out in cold sweat.

"Could it be that… we've been discovered…?" Leorio asked nervously.

"No, they haven't." Nero simply answered, only raising an eyebrow.

"How do you know that? Especially since I'm different from you. I have no idea how to use Zetsu to hide my presence! And why the hell are you so relaxed!" Leorio objected.

"It's not the best idea to act weird now. Just relax and act normal." Killua told him, eating a cherry, while Nero sipped on her ice tea again. When both of them looked up, they almost fell over, seeing the obvious nervous expressions from Gon and Leorio.

"You shouldn't have said anything..." Nero's eyelid twitched, gaping at them in disbelief.

"My bad..."Killua responded.

~~~A little later~~~

Their targets stood up, and were about to leave. Killua emptied his tea, and asked:

"They're leaving. What do we do?" Now Nero stood up, preparing to leave was well.

"We have to do something, but I can't think of anything." Leoio said.

"We all need to keep moving forward." Gon said.

"I don't think that you three should track them down. I should go alone, until we have a better idea." Nero said.

"But we have to! And I won't let Nero go alone!" Gon objected.

"Gon, even I highly doubt that I can do much." Nero sighed, but when she saw Gon's puppy eyes, she gave in, but wanted to slap herself for doing so.

"How annoying.. But alright, I give up. Then we follow that plan: Gon, Killua and I will follow them. We will use in, so that they won't discover us. However, they are still A class criminals, so be careful." Nero explained, using In, same as Gon and Killua. Leorio

just looked them in amazement, not being able to feel their presence at all.

"You two have to promise me two things. If they discover us, we must stop following them. You two are fast, so you should be able to do so. However, never forget that. Other than that, if I think that it's impossible, or useless, we must stop following them. Understand?"

_"Though I don't really think that I have to worry that much about Killua..."_ Nero thought, as both of them nodded at her.

"We'll use cell phones to signal each other, I guess?" Killua asked and Nero nodded.

"The signal for stop is one ring, twice to contact each other in general. Put it on vibrate mode. If they seperate, you guys follow the girl, and you will have to rely on Killua's judgement, since I'll follow the guy. As for Leorio..." she commanded, then looked at

Leorio, thinking as if her head would start smoking.

"Don't hurt yourself!" Leorio yelled annoyed.

"Leorio can try to contact Zepile. He can be in charge of the auction." Killua suggested, referring to the guy who'd help them with the auction.

"Guess I have no other choice. I'll work behind the scenes. Remember, don't be rash. As long as you're alive, there will be opportunities." Leoriotld them.

"You don't have any experiences in tracking down people, right, Gon?" Killua asked him, and Gon told him that he had followed Hisoka a whole day without being discovered during the Hunter exam, causing Killua to hit him on the head.

*SMACK*

"Why did you hit me?" Gon asked, rubbing his head.

"Don't know. Just felt like it."

"Err... Anyway... Can we go now?" Nero asked after clearing her throat.

"Yes, let's go!" Gon said and they ran out of the café.

"I believe in you. I'll wait for your return. Gon, Killua, Nero." Leorio looked after them, rooting for them.

~~~...~~~

They ran outside, following their targets by jumping over the roofops. Keeping their distance, they communicating with their cellphones.

"The target has walked into the alley." Killua told Nero and Gon.

"Uh-huh." Nero responded, not taking her eyes off them or a moment.

"Go it." Gon responded.

"Don't be discovered." Killua told him, then Nero said:

"They are on high alert, probably because the think they are being followed. Don't get careless."

_"Damn, Gon wouldn't know that they discovered him until the end. It's my responsibility to find out who they are. I doubt Killua would let himself get discovered, also he would notice if they discover us. He is definitely able to read their _

_expression. The only problem is, that I doubt they would get away in time. These guys won't even need a second to capture them..."_ Nero thought, tensing up every muscle and not letting her guard down for a second.

They followed their targets, and Nero hesitated after noticing that they gradually moved toward less crowded areas.

_"This is bad. Have they noticed we follow them? Then… is this a trap? Not, it's impossible for them to know my location. It's a possibility that they're heading back to HQ. If yes, we have to follow them.. For now, we'll keep on following them!"_

Now there were no people around anymore, and there were just a few buildings. Machi and Nobunaga stopped now and seemed to wait for something… or _someone_. Gon and Killua hid in the building that stood across the one Nero were hiding in. Then Gon contacted Nero and Killua, asking:

"How is it?"

"I don't know if they're waiting for someone or luring us into a trap." Killua said.

"Luring us? Could it be that they've discovered us?" Gon asked, sweating.

"Possible. At least they don't know our location _yet_." Nero responded, observing Machi and Nobunaga closely.

"What should we do?" Gon asked.

"It's still possible that they're waiting for someone. Alright, if nothing happens in the next 5 minutes, we get away from here. It's too risky!" Nero said, then was interrupted, as she suddenly heard that Nobunaga's phone rang.

"Guys, hang up now and keep observing. If their expression or actions are just a bit unnatural, run away immediately."

Nero commanded, then hung up, trying to hear their conversation, but couldn't. After a few moments, Nero narrowed her eyes at Nobunaga, who was holding the cell phone. Then suddenly, not a heartbeat later, he glared over to the building Gon and Killua

were in, and it was clear that they had discovered them. Now all of them tried to get away immediately…

However, when Gon and Killua tried to escape, two Spiders blocked their way. Killua began to jump around in the room, trying to find a opportunity to rum past him. However, Phinks stopped him with only one hand, grabbing Killua's legs. Killua now tried to

kick him, but he stopped it without any problem, again. He tried to free himself after that, but Phinks' grip was so strong, that he injured Killua's flesh on his ankles.

Killua jumped on his feet, thinking of another way to get away, but not a second later, Nobunaga appeared behind him, coming through the window, even though that he was on the 4th floor.

Meanwhile, Gon had the same problem. A woman named Pakunoda blocked his way, while Machi came through the window behind him.

Only Nero seemed to have luck…

_"Good thing that I often hide from gramps..."_ Nero thought, wiping off the sweat from her forehead, being lucky that she had an excellent In, though her En really sucked… _a lot. _

Then she looked how Gona and Killua were dragged inside a black car, and Nero thought sarcastically, as her eyelid twitched:

_"This could be a _bit_ difficult..."_

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><p><em>*dies* <em>Alright, I hope you enjoyed this chapter^^ Next time Kurapica and Nero will finally reunite YAY ^.^ Also, I'll try and upload a pic from Lucero when the next chapter is out, which should be in the next 2 days :3 Anyway, thank you so much for the reviews/messages :D *dances happily* see you next time! *waves* :3

**Note:** **Don't forget the reboot from HxH that will start on sunday the 2. Oktober^^**


	18. Safety First! x Tears? x Feelings!

Hey everyone! :3 I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D I apologize for any mistakes or confusions, I'll try to fix them or to explain things everything.^.^_  
><em>

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><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH. I only own my OC's. Also, I don't support any violence.^^_  
><em>

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><p><strong>Journey into the Unknown 18 - Safety First! x Tears? x Feelings!<br>**

_"A bit difficult…"_ Nero almost face palmed at her own joke, as she decided to follow the black car, though keeping her distance. She released her Hatsu ability, and her shadow crawled onto her legs within a fraction of a second, harden itself to her armoured boots.

_"And now.. 'Shadow Waltz'…"_ she thought, using one of her abilities named 'Shadow Waltz', enabling her to walk on, or to jump from shadow to shadow, even if it was a long distance. And so, Nero followed the car, being careful not to get caught, hiding her presence with In.

After a while, the car stopped, and Gon, Killua, Pakunoda, Machi, Phinks and Nobunaga went inside a building.

"_They haven't blindfolded them? Aren't they afraid that they'd leak out information's? Well if that's the case, I don't have much time. They probably want to kill them anyway. I have to think of something… and that soon!" _Nero thought, watching how her friends were being dragged inside a rather tattered, old building, while she stood on top of a building that was across it.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"Welcome to our base." Pakunoda said, opening a door. They entered, and found 6 other Spiders inside the room.

One of them looked normal with brown hair, named Shalnark. One had blue hair, and was pretty small, named Feitan. Another one was huge, and looked a little bit like Frankenstein, named Franklin. Then there was a familiar face, the girl with glasses that Gon had competed against, named Shizuku. Then there was the smallest one of the group, with messy, light blue hair covering his head, named Koltopi. And then there were a silver-blonde-haired male, named Lucero, and much to Gon's and Killua's surprise, Hisoka.

"_That guy is a member of the Spiders, after all. But he has taken a liking to Gon, so he might secretly help us. Pretend we don't know him."_ Killua thought, looking away from Hisoka, who as well pretended that he didn't know them. But then, suddenly…

"Ah!" Gon blurted out, looking at Hisoka. While Killua wanted to smack him for it, and Hisoka seemed to be mentally face palming and Gon's stupidity, Nobunaga asked:

"What? Do you recognize someone?"

"Err, no.. well." Gon noticed what he did and wanted to smack himself. But Killua had an idea, pointing at Shizuku.

"Shizuku, you know them?" Phinks asked her but she shook her head, not being able to remember something after forgetting it. However, Feitan and Franklin remembered them, as well as Lucero.

"I know them as well. Both of them were in the Celestial Tower." Lucero suddenly said, sending them an icy glare.

"If these two pests are here, then she must be around here as well." Lucero thought, keeping his emotionless expression. However, for a brief moment, Killua meant to see him smirking, which made him run away...

_"So he's the guy that Nero knows... I know what she meant when she said 'I never wanted to see them again'..."_ Killua thought, as a cold chill ran down his spine.

"Oh? I see... And you also competed against Shizuku and won?" Nobunaga asked and Gon nodded.

"I never thought this girl would be part of the Ryodan…" Killua grimaced in awe.

"Alright, compete with me then." Nobunaga said and Gon had to arm wrestle against him, until the back of his hand stated bleeding, not being able to win even once.

"Say, how should I rank in arm wrestling among the Spiders?" Nobunaga asked, while hitting Gon's hand against the table once again.

"Probably 8th or 9th." Franklin answered.

"Not weak, but not strong, either." Lucero remarked coldly, being ranked about 4th.

"That's right. The strongest one is Uvogin. But that guy was killed by that chain-user." Nobunaga said.

"Didn't we already say that we don't know any chain-user?" Killua said annoyed.

"Hey brat, next time you talk without permission, I'll kill you." Nobunaga hissed, glaring at him, and Killua was quiet.

"That guy was from the Reinforcement group. He was a straightforward and simple animal. But strangely, he's really fussy about being punctual. We were friends even before joining the Spiders. That guy-" Nobunaga continued, and his voice began to shake. The started to shoot Gon death glares, and began crying.

"That guy… He's never be defeated in a fight! They must have set a dirty trap to kill him! I'll never forgive them! That chain-user must have a big grudge against us! He's the new bodyguard hired by the Nostrade family!"

"_Big grudge.. Bodyguard?… It can't be!"_ Killua thought, now realizing who the 'chain-user' was.

"Even if you don't know him, have you heard any news about him? If there's any lead, spill it out right now!" Nobunaga asked shouting.

"I don't know." Gon started and increased his aura. "And even if I knew something, I wouldn't tell you! You'll cry for a dead friend. And here I thought you were a bunch of cold-hearted people… If not, they why don't you give a bit of these feelings, just a bit is

fine… TO THE PEOPLE YOU KILL!" Gon snapped, hitting Nobunaga's hand on the table, cracking it a bit, while glaring at his surprised opponent. But not a heartbeat later, Feitan grabbed Gon, pushing his face on the table and clenched his arm.

"You are a bit overconfident here."

Killua wanted to help him, but suddenly felt a very intimidating, murderous aura behind him. When he turned huis head slightly, he saw Hisoka, who told him:

"If you move just a little, I'll kill you."

"Hurry up and answer. Do you know the chain-user?" Feitan now asked.

"I've said so already! I won't tell you anything even if I knew anything!" Gon shouted angrily. However, this made Feitan angry as well, but before he could do what he planned, Nobunaga interrupted him:

"Stop it!" I don't want to fight him anymore!

"You knew what I had planned?" Feitan asked, narrowing his eyes.

"You wanted to break his arm, right?"

"First removing is nails, then cut off his fingers." he answered Nobunaga.

"Whatever you were trying to do, stop it!" Nobunaga commanded.

"Just let him. They only need their mouths to talk, anyway." Lucero said coldly.

"Stop!" Nobunaga said angrily.

"You don't have the right to order me around!" Feitan hissed and both snapped. However, before they could start a fight, Franklin interrupted them and they tossed a coin, with the result of Nobunaga winning. Then they discussed what to do with Gon and Killua.

"They don't have any memories about the chain-guy." Pakunoda told the others.

"If Pakunoda says so, then it should be okay. Not that I care either way." Lucero said with a straight face and quiet voice, leaning back against a wall with crossed arms.

"_Were we examined without realizing it? But how do she do it? Wait… memories? That's it! She must have the ability to search through memories! That's bad! When she examined me, I didn't know who the chain guy was! But now! Damn, we're in trouble!" _Killua thought.

"If they have no connection with the chain-user, just let them go." Franklin said.

"They're useless anyway." Shalnark agreed.

"Hurry up and kick them out. I just hate brats." Lucero said icily, sending them a cold glare.

"Isn't that great? You get to go home." Feitan said to them, but somehow it seemed that he was sulking because he didn't get to cut off their fingers….

Then Gon and Killua- after Gon had stuck out his tongue at Feitan- wanted to leave, but Nobunaga wouldn't let them.

"No. I won't let them go. Kid, join the Spiders." he said to Gon.

"I'd rather die than join your group!" he yelled.

"Haha, you hate us that much! You're from Reinforcement, right?" Nobunaga laughed amused.

"So what?" Gon asked angrily and Nobunaga started laughing, making the other Spiders wonder if he had gone crazy.

"We'll keep them here until the boss returns. We'll make them enter the Ryodan." Nobunaga said.

"You're serious?" Phinks asked.

"The boss wouldn't accept it." Feitan said.

"Pfft, I don't care. But we won't interfere if they escape." Machi told him.

"You can guard them by yourself." Phinks sad.

"Nobunaga the babysitter…" Lucero remarked with a straight face, snorted annoyed, and went out together with the others.

~~~A little later~~~

"Why isn't the Mafia taking any actions?" Franklin wondered.

"We haven't detected any of their movements anywhere, which is unusual." Shizuku pointed out.

"So our biggest gain today is the capture of those two brats." Phinks said.

"Their probably planning their next step." Shalnark said, then handed everyone, besides Hisoka and Lucero, information's about the Nostrade's bodyguards from the Hunter website, hoping to find out where the chain-user is.

"We'll pair up and search for the guys on the list. Maybe they no something about the chain-user. We'll gather again tonight at 10." Shalnark said.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Killua and Gon were inside a room together with Nobunaga who guarded the door. The only window was only a slit.

Killua thought about attacking him, but as soon as Nobunaga stood up, having his hand on his hilt, Killua, sat back down, knowing that it was no use to even try it, since just feeling his aura was intimidating.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Nero didn't move from her spot, only observing the building Gon, and Killua were in. Now the sun was about to set and she thought:

"_This is really bad. I don't know which room they are in. And I can't just barge in like 'hello, is anybody home?'. If I could just spot their aura... Just a fraction of a second would be enough." _Nero thought, thinking that she had felt 2 strong auras a little earlier, as if

someone was arguing. Then suddenly, she saw that the other Spiders left the building, walking in a group of two, or three. After thanking Lady Luck for her chance, she saw Lucero, who seemed to walk quietly behind Feitan and Phinks. But when she glared at him, he suddenly raised his head, looking n the direction she was in. She caught her breath, trying to stay calm.

He looked away again, and the Spiders left. But a few seconds later, she saw a bubble floating past her. Inside the crimson bubble seemed to be black smoke, that took the form of a black flower. Then the bubble popped, and the smoke that had the form of a black flower, began to form a skull until it vanished.

_"That bastard..."_ she though with a dark face, knowing what the black flower meant, but then wondered why he didn't tell the others that she was there. However, Nero shrugged it off, thinking that he was way to arrogant to do so.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

_"I just hope she rescues those brats, or else I have to endure them, if the boss likes them..."_ Lucero thought.

~~~Back by Nero~~~

When the sun had set, she felt Killua's aura for a faint moment, only to feel Nobunaga's threatening aura overwhelming his. Her gaze immediately fell on a little window, which was no more than a slit, and she knew that her chances of Gon and Killua being together in that room were high.

"_Alright, it's only one Spider. Well, if I'm lucky, at least… Okay, I should be able to buy them some time, since it's only one of them… the question is just when, and how am I going to warn Gon and Killua…?"_

She jumped over to the building, being careful not to being exposed. Then suddenly, she heard that Gon and Killua started arguing, as a soft breeze sprung up.

"What did you do that for?" Killua yelled, grabbing Gon at the collar of his shirt.

"Don't talk about stupid things!"

"What the hell?"Nobunaga looked at them in disbelief, then started laughing, saying that Gon and Killua were interesting.

"Well, I won't hurt you. Now relax and be still. Just endure it until the boss returns." Not a second later, Gon suddenly shouted excited:

"I remember now! It's called the sided breach! The heating, the opening and the side breach! I solved the problem about that, and about shadows and oranges!"

Killua thought about it for a second, and got what Gon meant, but was a little confused about the 'shadows and oranges', but then noticed what he was trying to tell him with that, too.

Meanwhile Nero listen to them and was confused with the first thing, but realized immediately what Gon meant with the 'shadows and oranges'.

"That kid really is a dog." she shook her head, but grinned, then made herself ready, inhaling.

Gon and Killua now increased their aura, making themselves ready to... fight? Well, at least that was what Nobunaga thought, as he said, glaring at them:

"Are you two serious? Neither of you is skilled enough… to stop my sword."" But then Gon started:

"Ready…" and Killua continued:

"Set…"

"GO!" Nero shouted, smashing the wall and jumping at Nobunaga, kicking him in his face with her knee, knocking him over because he was perplexed, while saying, as she stuck her tongue out:

"In your face, shitty swordsman!" Nero continued running and smashed down the door, while Gon and Killua both made their own exits, smashing down the other walls.

While Nero ran down the hallway, she first thought about going back and fighting against Nobunaga, but decided against it, knowing that, since he was on alert

now, and definitely pissed about his swollen face, it wouldn't be easy to beat him, also thinking that Gon's and Killua's safety had top priority.

"Killua! Nero! Are you there!" Gon suddenly shouted.

"Yeah, I'm over here!" Killua responded.

"Me, too!" Nero yelled.

"Let's attack him together!" Gon shouted.

Nobunaga heard that and used En, being on guard, though he was only able to extend his En to around 4 meters.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"Bleh! You can stand there and release your Nen all you want! You can stand there alone forever, idiot!" Killua stuck his tongue out, looking over his shoulder, while the three of them were running away, already being out of the building.

"Thank goodness that guy only has a brainpower of a fled." Nero grimaced annoyed.

"I wanted to defeat him!" Gon mumbled angrily.

"Not possible! The two of us can't defeat him, even if we fight together! If Nero wouldn't have helped us, we could have waited there forever!" Killua told him.

"100%?" Gon asked, as they jumped over a wall, now running down a street.

"Almost. The two of us have only learned the basics of Nen. We're not a worthy opponent for him." Killua responded, then looked at Nero, asking:

"Hey, big sis, what are your chances of beating those guys?" She thought about it for a moment, then answered:

"Against that guy if he's alone… with a surprise attack… about 70%. But that changes to 50% if he knows that I'm there.. I think. Against two of them… my chances of surviving, thanks to my speed, are about 15%. But that varies about the reason of fighting them."

Then she looked at Gon and asked:

"Say, and how the hell did you know that I was there? You couldn't have sensed me!"

"I smelled you!"

"What?" Nero started at him as if he was nuts.

"Nero slightly smells of oranges, and I smelled it!" Gon grinned.

"_This guy… he really is a dog.." _Nero and Killua thought in disbelief.

"Well, what should we do?" Go now asked.

"Since we escaped, anything is fine. What do you want to do, Gon?" Killua asked.

"I wanna beat them up!" Gon responded.

"I thought so." Killua said.

"What a surprise…" Nero remarked sarcastically.

"But it's actually not far from our original plan. If we capture three of them, we'll earn 6 billion Jenni! Do do that, we have to increase our Nen abilities first. Our Nen must contain whatever is required to counter them! And the fastest way t achieve that is either asking Nero.. or Kurapica." Killua said.

"What do you mean?" Nero asked him. He looked at her, then explained about the 'chain-user' the Spiders were searching for, and that Killua believed that Kurapica was the 'Chain-user'.

"The chain guy they're talking about, the one who killed one of them… it's Kurapica."

"WHAT?" Gon shouted surprised.

"… After what you told me… I guess your right.." Nero said, biting her underlip.

"If that's the case, we may have a chance of beating them as well. Kurapica started using Nen at the same time we did." Killua said.

"And you think Kurapica knows the way to do it?" Gon asked him.

"Yep." he answered, while Nero was silent.

"We have to find him."

"I'm trying to call him. "Gon said.

"But first, let's get away from here." Nero suddenly said, grabbing both of them, and jumping over the rooftops with high speed, also running up a building in a right angle, since a shadow was casted on it.

~~~At the same time~~~

The explosions, death cries and shots could be heard through the whole town. It almost seemed like a war took place in York Shin.

"A call from the boss. He's in the Cemetery building and wants us over there." Feitan told Phinks, who just cracked a guards neck, and Lucero, who watched a guard suffocating inside one of his crimson coloured bubbles.

"Actually, we're already making our way there." Lucero said, now popping the bubble together with the already dead guard without a sound.

"Lucero, don't make such a mess! My clothes will get dirty! Anyway, what about the others?" Phinks asked Feitan.

"It seems like everyone has the same idea. Cleaning up the garbage while heading over there."

"Annihilate… everything!"

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Tut, tuut, tuuut…

"No use. It's always busy." Gon said to Nero and Killua, after trying to call Kurapica. Then suddenly, they heard a loud explosion, and Gon asked:

"What's going on over there?"

"It looks like a war is going on." Killua pointed out.

"Only one group is daring enough to make a ruckus like that." Nero sighed annoyed.

"Genei Ryodan!" her 12 year old friends shouted in union. Then Nero looked around, seeing many people screaming and running around, trying to get away from there.

"It's a mass panic." Nero said with a pensive face, while worrying about Kurapica.

. . .

A little later, they decided to call Kurapica once again. However, this time, he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Kurapica! We finally reached you!" Gon said happily.

"Gon!"

"Is it okay over there?" Gon asked.

"No… Sorry, but I'm busy. I'll return the all when I'm free. Kurapica told him.

"H-Hold on! Just a minute is fine! I just need to tell you something important. Killua and I met the Ryodan. Or should I say we were captured. But don't worry, Nero saved us!"

Kurapica's eyes widened in shock as he heard what Gon said to him, then shouted angrily, making his friends flinch:

"What were you three trying to do! Don't you guys know how dangerous they are!"

"Let me." Killua told Gon, who held his phone a little away from his ear.

"We know. We know that, but now we know it for ourselves. Those guys are truly strong. With our strength, we can't do anything right now. That's why, we need your help. We want to help you."

"We also want to see you!" Gon interposed.

"Don't fool around. I won't aid you into such suicidal actions.

"Don't you want to know where their base is?" Killua asked.

"I already have the information's I need." Kurapica responded.

"We also know the abilities of each member." Killua continued.

"That's enough! Stop being stubborn! I warn you, don't go near the Ryodan!" Kurapica said angrily.

"I heard a chain user killed one of their comrades. That was you, right? Those guys are looking for you like mad." Killua said. Kurapica didn't respond and Killua got pissed, shouting:

"It doesn't matter if you don't think of us as your comrades or friends of the same level as you. But we will get involved no matter what!" Then Gon took the phone again, calmly saying:

"Kurapica, we saw one of them crying. He said he would never forgive the one who killed his friend. I thought I couldn't let people like them move freely. We too… we want to try our best to stop them. Please, Kurapica…"

"… I'll call you back." he said, somehow sounding distant and hung up, then turned off his phone.

~~~Later~~~

The underground auction took place again, since two assassins, who were actually Killua's father and his grandfather, were supposed to kill the boss of the Spiders. However, because Illumi killed their clients, the 10 Godfathers, they stopped, returning home,

since they would not make any profit, hence, not risking their lives.

Meanwhile the other Spiders were behind the stage, and Koltopi made copy's of the items, as well as making copy's from some of the Spiders, so that that Mafia would think that they're were dead.

Then they showed the copy of the scarlet eyes, which was also the last item for that day.

After a few million were bidden, suddenly a blond boy said:

"350 million." However, a rather small guy started to bid as well, and in the end, Kurapica got the scarlet eyes for 2,9 billion Jenni.

With the scarlet eyes, Kurapica went to the hospital, where Senritsu and Basho were meeting him, since their boss, Neon, was hospitalized.

Senritsu suggested that she and Basho would take care of their boss, wanting him to use the time to rest, since he seemed… everything but all right, having a blank look in his eyes and was not saying anything.

"Sorry. And thank you." was everything he said, before disappearing.

. . .

He sat down on a rooftop, watching the sea of lights from York Shin, remembering Gon's words.

"_We too… we want to do our best to stop them!" _

_"There's no need for that anymore, Gon. The Spiders are dead. And so… is my purpose."_

. . .

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"So you bastard partied while I was buys saving our two damsels in distress?" Nero asked Leorio, being incredibly annoyed as she did, crossing her arms in front of her chest, raising an eyebrow, and having the urge to hit him.

"Damsels in distress…?" Killua asked resentful, which was ignored.

"Ah, you're back! Hic! Say… do you know what time it is?" Leorio slurred.

"Old man.. Didn't you say you were under aged?" Killua asked suspiciously, while trying to hold Nero back, who's aura was definitely giving of the vibe that she was more than pissed.

"_This guy…! The Spiders are going on a rampage, and Kurapica could be hurt, and this guy…! This guy partying here!"_

"In my country, we can drink when we're 16! I started at 12, but oh well.." Leorio slurred.

While Nero sat down a little away from them, being worried and deep in thought, as well as trying to control the urge to beat up Leorio, Gon and Killua told him what had happened.

"So that's what happened to you…. You were lucky to get out alive." Leorio said. Then they told him that they had managed to contact Kurapica, much to his surprise.

A few moments later, Gon's phone rang. He picked up and was surprised to hear Kurapica's voice.

"Kurapica!" Gon said and Nero shot up instantly, looking at Gon, with wide eyes.

"You said that you wanted to arrest the Ryodan, didn't you. You don't need to bother any longer. All the Spiders are dead." Kurapica told him, and his voice sounded somehow distant and empty.

"Kurapica, you mean…!"

"What's wrong?" Killua asked Gon.

"The Genei Ryodan no longer exists." Gon answered.

"WHAT?" Killua shouted, while Nero looked shocked. Then suddenly, Kurapica hung up.

"Try calling him, again!" Killua said, but he had turned off his phone again. Nero sat back down, leaning against a wall.

"Why don't we send him a text message?" Nero suggested, trying to sound alright. However, she felt that her heart was aching, somehow getting the bad feeling that they wouldn't be able to contact him anymore, also thinking about how he must have been

feeling after receiving the news of the Genei Ryodan's annihilation.

She simply felt helpless, not knowing how to help him, not knowing how to feel. The only thing she wanted at that moment… was to see him, to hug him, to tell him that everything would be alright, no matter how stupid these words may sounded. Nero simply wanted to be there for him.

Then she noticed it. Tears welled up in her eyes as she typed the massage after Gon and Killua had agreed to send one, wanting to type one together, while sitting next to her.

"_We are waiting for you in the D-road park! -Gon, Killua, and Nero"_

After they had send the text, Nero looked at the display of her cell phone. Gon and Killua were already talking about the next day, but then became silent, seeing something that shocked them.

Tears ran down Nero's cheeks, tears, that she probably held back for months, if not years. But now, she was not able to hold back her emotions at all anymore.

"Nero!" Gon called out to her, kneeing next to her, as Nero buried her face in her hands, huddling up, while leaning against the wall.

Killua looked shocked and worried as well, exchanging questioning glances with Gon, who didn't know what to do either. Leorio too, didn't know what to do, looking sober all of a sudden.

"Nero, what's wrong?" Gon asked with a worried expression.

"That idiot..!" Nero suddenly said, while trying to stop her tears.

"Why..? Why isn't he relying in us at all? Are we really that useless? Are we really that bothersome? I feel so stupid for believing that we could help him somehow…" she said with a very quiet and sad voice, trying to calm herself down.

"I don't think that he thinks so at all!" Gon suddenly said, trying to cheer her up. When she looked at him he added:

"I think he was simply worried about us… and about you! That's why he is trying to make us stay out of this!"

"Gon's right." Killua agreed, sitting down next to her.

"I think so, too. C'mon Nero, that's not like you at all. I think it would suit you more to give him a good hit in the head when you see him." Leorio grinned at her.

"Look who's talking… the boozy doc is back in insanity." she mumbled under her breath.

"What the..? And here I am trying to cheer you up, you little evil shrimp!" Leorio pouted, and Nero wiped away the tears.

"I think if he really need us, he will tell us, and then, well be there to help him!" Gon told her grinning, Killua doing the same.

"You're right! Even if he doesn't like it, he will have to get used of us annoying him." Nero nodded determined, then hugged Gon and Killua, and thought, while having a very gently expression:

"_For me, Kurapica, Gon, Killua and Leorio, well, and gramps of course, are the most important things I have. Thank you… for making me realize that… For making me realize what's important…. I hope I can tell him that one day…"_

~~~The next day~~~

Gon and Killua were stuffing themselves with tons of sweets, while sitting on a picnic rug in front of a park bench, which Leorio was sitting on. Nero had rescued herself in a tree right next to them, having enough of Leorio's teasing how Kurapica's and her reunion would go, knowing that he was only thinking about indecent things, again.

Suddenly Gon spotted a certain blond-haired boy, spitting all of his ice cream that had been in his mouth in Killua's face, as he shouted happily:

"Kurapica!"

He ran over to Kurapica saying with a bright smile:

"Isn't that great? The Spiders are dead! You can do the things you want from now on. You should hurry up and find it, the eyes of your people." They looked at each other for a while, the Gon wanted to add something..

"If you ever need our help-" But he was interrupted…

Killua hit some ice cream in Gon's face, shutting him up. He slowly turned to his friend, who's cat ears had popped up, and was grinning at Gon. Not a second later the clobbering already started, while they tried to hit more sweets in each other's faces.

"Why you…!"

"That hurts, hurts, hurts!"

"Ow, ow, ow!"

"Killua, you always…!"

Kurapica watched them, at first just staring at them in disbelief, But then, slowly, his expression softened. Suddenly, someone covered his eyes from behind.

"You have three guesses." a melodic voice said, and he smiled slightly.

"Nero…" he said with a gently voice. She withdrew her hands, and said slightly grinning, as he turned around to look at her:

"You already figured it out.. That's no fun." He smiled at her, but then his smile faded, and he said, realizing that he had missed her, yet felt sorry for how he had treated her the past month:

"Nero, I'm so-"

But she stopped him with a wave of her hand, smiling at him. When she looked at him, she understood it perfectly once again. Her fast beating heart, the urge to be there for him, the feeling of happiness just seeing him… all that made her realize once again how much she was in love with him…

"It's alright. The only important thing is, that you are alright." Seeing her expression, that were so full with affection made him want to hug her, but withdrew his hands as he noticed that he was about to do so, blushing slightly

Nero saw through his intentions, taking the initiative herself, wrapping her arms around him. He blushed more, and though she was mentally slapping herself for her sudden actions, she made no move to withdraw her arms. Though he hesitated, he hugged

her back, feeling happy as well to simply see her. When he listened closely, he could hear her heart pounding very hard, same as his, noticing that the sound of their heartbeats were overlapping. He chuckled briefly, only to make her blush as well.

"W-What?" she sputtered nervously, almost losing her voice.

"Nothing." he responded, not letting go of her, just listening to her comforting, precious heartbeat, and feeling her presence, that calmed him down and made him happy.

Suddenly someone shouted teasingly:

"Oi, get a room, you two!"

Both of them flustered jumped apart, being beat red, looking at a grinning Leorio, who wagged his eyebrows, standing behind Gon and Killua, who, by the way, had stopped fighting, looking at them as well. Killua had crossed his rams behind his head, smirking, while Gon blushed.

"Geez, don't interrupt them, old man!" Killua told him slightly annoyed.

"Yeah, that's not nice!" Gon said, while Nero's eyelid twitched annoyed, seeing the smirk in Leorio's face. She walked over to him, taking the ice cream that Gon held, and started to grin evilly. Gon and Killua saw her expression, taking some ice cream as well, then all three shouted in union, pushing the ice cream in his face:

"There!"

Leorio tried to catch them angrily, but couldn't, since he was not seeing anything thanks to the ice cream in his face, then lost his balance and fell over.

"What are you doing?" he asked a little annoyed, as he stood up and started to chase them through the whole park.

"You brats!"

"Wahh!"

"A pervert is chasing us!" Nero remarked, grinning.

"Oh, the old man can run like hell!" Killua said teasingly, while Gon just laughed.

Kurapica simply watched the scenario, and suddenly, he smiled brightly, then started laughing, realizing how important his friends were to him. Then he looked at Nero, who waved at him together with Gon, while Leorio head locked Killua, and walked over to them.

As he smiled at Nero, he thought:

"_Yeah, the thing I never want to lose… is undoubtedly the warmth of this human…"_

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><p><em>*dies* :3 Alright, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :D Wah, I'm so happy that they are all back together, again. <em>

_Thank you so much for your reviews and messages! *bows* Anyway, see ya soon! *waves* :D_


	19. Fake? x Spy On Spiders!

Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter :3 I don't know why, but my chapters seem to turn out too long the last few times xD Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I apologize for any mistakes or confusions. I'll try to fix them or explain things properly. ^^ Oh, and I finally managed to upload a pic from Lucero^^ (Link in my profile :3)

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's. ALso, I don't support any violence.^^

* * *

><p><strong>Journey into the Unknown 19 - Fake? x Spy On Spiders!<br>**

"Say… I think you're radiating something… self-assurance?" Leorio said to Kurapica.

"Oh, On the other hand, I don't get the impression that you have changed a lot, Leorio." Kurapica said with a straight face, but was obviously mocking him.

"Can't you see I'm more upset than before?" Leorio asked resentful., but then added:

"I've also been told that you fought one of the Ryodan and defeated him. But you just learned Nen yourself. How did you manage it?"

"If the only reason you are asking me is because you want to capture the rest of the Ryodan, I won't answer. What I say won't help." Kurapica responded.

"That's not the only thing. We want to increase our Nen. Of course we want to capture the rest of the Ryodan, too. I think that now, above all, mastering Nen is top priority." Gon said.

"That's what I thought. Forget it."

"But why!" Killua asked.

"Because I can't use my Nen as I want. It's only affective against the Ryodan."

"…!…"

. . .

"Promise with restriction?" Gon asked, sitting across from Kurapica and Leorio.

"In other words a contact with limitation." Nero said, but made a solemn face, not liking what she heard at all.

"Correct. Nen is a force very influenced by the psyche. The weight of the determination increases the power. But it also includes a high risk. I promised to use my Nen almost entirely for the Spiders. With that aim, I had to have guidelines. If I confront someone who isn't related to the Ryodan with my chain… I lose my life." Kurapica explained, then he continued:

"I have a Nen blade permanently pointed at my heart. My Nen is produced from my hatred. My force only has an effect on the Spiders. The only reason I can talk about it is because it's you. But it shouldn't leave this room."

Everyone was silent for a while, but then Killua suddenly shouted:

"Why… Why did you tell us something that important!"

"Hm.. That's true… Why did I tell you…? Maybe because their boss is no longer alive. I felt reassured." Kurapica answered after hesitating.

"It sucks! There are sill some left! And one of them is able to read people's minds! She only needs to touch her target to get the information's she wants. Even if we refuse to talk, it won't sop her from discovering what she wants to know. If she was to discover your secret, you wouldn't stand a chance of winning anymore!" Killua told him.

"You're talking about that woman?" Gon asked, referring to Pakunoda.

"Yes." he responded."But she didn't discover anything when we met her." Gon said.

"That's because we didn't know the chain guy was Kurapica. But that' s no longer the case!"

"Well, we just need to avoid her. She already checked you once, and didn't fid anything. It's okay-" Leorio said.

"She's not the only one. There's another one called Nobunaga. He's searching for Kurapica and is definitely still after us." Killua told him.

"But the also ignores the fact that you may be related to Kurapica, doesn't he? "Leorio pointed out, and Nero sighed, face palming.

"And you forget about Lucero. That guy is after me, and he knows I'm related to Gon and Killua. And he won't need much time to figure out that we're friends with Kurapica." she said, looking at her palms that rested in her lab.

"I'm in contact with Hisoka." Kurapica suddenly said, shocking the others once again.

"What?"

"He knows that I'm the chain guy. We came to an agreement, but now that his target is dead, I don't know what attitude he'll have."

"We'd better search for them. We know Kurapica's secret. So it's too dangerous to wait for them to find us." Killua said.

"True. That girl is a threat to me. As Gon said, even if the Ryodan has lost her mind, I won't stop before I have required the eyes of my brothers." Kurapica said calmly, then his phone suddenly rang. He looked at it, then went quiet. A few seconds later, he suddenly hurried out of the room, the others following him.

"Hey, what's with you all of a sudden!" Leorio yelled after him.

"Kurapica!" Gon shouted.

"Hey. We're talking to you!"

"Hisoka?" Killua asked.

"Yes…. The corpses were fake." Kurapica finally answered.

"What? Then one of them must have that ability to do that." Nero pointed out, not really knowing what to say.

"What are we going to do? The situation has completely changed."

"Yes, I don't like it at all… There's a strong possibility that one of them uses Materialization. Damn… Why didn't I think of this sooner…!" Kurapica said, completely tensed up. Then his phone rang again. When he picked up, Senritsu told him that the Community had cancelled the search for the Spiders, because they came from the 'City of the Shooting Star'.

Kurapica hung up, and Gon asked:

"Kurapica, who was that?"

"One of my work partners." he answered, then added: "The community has stopped the pursuit. They've also cancelled the rewards for them."

"Eh? But why!" Killua asked shouting.

"Because they are from the City of the Shooting Star." Kurapica answered.

"Huh?" Gon had no idea what he meant.

"You really don't know anything, right Gon?" Leorio asked sighing.

"It's a little hard to explain….. But it's the title of the city of the ones that do not exist for society. After numerous changes, it had become a place where political power has not hold over. I heard more than 10 million people live there. " Nero explained.

"The Mafia recruits useful people there. Who better than someone who doesn't exist to commit a crime?" Leorio added.

~~~Later~~~

While Gon and Killua argued about helping Kurapica capturing the Spiders, even if there was no reward, or if they would concentrate of getting the game, Greed Island, that Gon wanted, Nero and Leorio were sitting near them and drank tea.

A little while later, Kurapica returned…

"So?" Leorio asked.

"I couldn't get anything. I tried to get more information on today's auction, but the Community hasn't made any advertisements yet." Kurapica told them.

"What if you tell them that thy were fooled and that the Spiders are still alive? Maybe that would change their opinion." Leorio suggested.

"No, they'll do anything to avoid a confrontation." Nero shrugged.

"But that's no what I want to know. I'm interested to know if the auction will go on." Kurapica said.

"Don't tell me… You want to face them?" Leorio was afraid to ask, and then saw his serious expression, realizing that he had hit the nail on the head.

"You're insane! You wanna fight them without the help of the Mafia?" Leorio shouted, but Nero stoped him with a wave of her hand, while looking at Kurapica with an raised eyebrow, then asked:

"You never expected their help to begin with, right?" He looked at her, and his expression gave away the answer.

"_Idiot." _Nero thought, being worried about him, but then she said, with a solemn face:

"Just for your information, even if you tell me now that you will track them down on your own, I'll do the same. Now decide if we do it together, or if both of us will act alone."

"But-" he wanted to object, but she stopped him with a wave of her hand, firmly saying:

"Don't 'but' me."

He looked at her, and was kind of troubled. He didn't want her to get involved with the Ryodan, even though he knew he was probably the last person to tell her not to. However, he still didn't want her to go near them, not really knowing what to do to make her give up.

Then suddenly, Gon shouted, who ran over to them with Killua:

"Kurapica, we want to help, too! Tell us what to do, and we'll do it!"

"_Refuse, refuse…" _Killua thought.

"You don't know that there's no longer a reward involved." Kurapica said.

"Yes." Gon answered, then added, looking determined: "I wanna stop them. And that hasn't changed."

Kurapica looked at Gon and Killua for a few seconds, then glanced over to Nero, who looked as stubborn as Gon, then said, having a very serious expression:

"We might die."

_"Don't add fuel to the fire..!" _Killua thought, looking at Gon, who seemed hyped up completely now.

"I'm aware of that, and fully prepared to die. If I do, it's just the consequence of my arrogance and stubbornness. And also… we're friends, or not?" Nero looked at him, trying to make the sweetest expression she could, though she hated it.

"She's right! We can't leave them alone, because we're friends!" Gon agreed. Kurapica looked a them, then said, knowing it was no use arguing with them:

"Friends… Alright, let's finalize our strategy."

"Yeah!" Gon shouted hyped up.

"_Is he serious?" _Killua thought, sighing distressed, while Nero thought, rubbing her hand triumphantly together in her mind:

"_Twist him around your little finger… Check!"_

. . .

They sat down in the lobby, discussing what they would do next.

"First, we need someone to keep an eye on their hideout, and keep us informed." Kurapica said.

"I'll take care of that." Killua raised his hand.

"Our objective is Pakunoda, and only Pakunoda. We are not interested in the others." Kurapica told him.

"Ok."

"You'll have to be extremely prudent."

"Don't worry, I won't take any unnecessary risks." Killua responded grinning.

"_You can be sure of that."_

"Next, I need a driver. Leorio? Could you do that?" Kurapica asked, and Leorio responded, obviously feeling uncomfortable:

"What? Uhm.. Yeah."

"What a sissy." Nero snorted amused.

"Don't worry, with Kurapica at your side, you don't have to be afraid." Killua said mockingly.

"Hey Killua, evil Shrimp! Are you implying that I'm afraid!" Leorio shouted, being busted.

"Yes." Nero answered deadpan.

"And me?" Gon asked.

"You'll be in charge of keeping them distracted. That's the role of the troublemaker." Kurapica said.

"Wait a minute! That's a really dangerous mission! That means he'll have to confront them again!" Killua objected.

"That depends on the means he uses." Kurapica told him.

"I don't fully understand." Gon said.

"It's very simple. We'll take advantage of the moment our enemies turn their attention to Gon to kidnap Pakunoda and flee. There are many unstable factors for me to create a better plan. I trust Gon about how we'll handle it. I need you to get their attention. In the worst-caste scenario, half a second. One second would be perfect." Kurapica told Gon.

"A second?" Gon repeated, knowing that for the Spiders one second was enough to kill more than one. Machi had captured him within a fraction of a second.

"_Getting their attention to waver for a second… Is it possible?"_

"You are the key to the plan. Can you handle it?" Kurapica asked.

"I don't know. I'll have to think about it." Gon responded, being, surprisingly, deep in thought.

"Don't worry." Nero suddenly said, leaning back.

"What do you mean?" Gon asked, and everyone looked at her.

"I'm planning to go with Killua for the time being. The chance that they notice us is high. So if they do, I will hold them up, so that he can get away. Later I'll meet up with you, and distract them as well. I don't need longer than a fraction of a second, either."

"Aren't you a little bit overconfident?" Leorio asked her, not really knowing if arguing with her was a good idea.

"First: It's true, I do take pride in my abilities, and second: Like I said before, if I die, it's just the consequence of my arrogance." she answered, shrugging, but was serious.

Kurapica looked at her, like the others, not knowing what to say, but then, he sighed, and said:

"Fine. But don't be reckless."

"Sure!" she nodded satisfied, but her inner demon began to laugh evilly. The safety of her friends had top priority for Nero, even if it meant for her to stay behind to guarantee for it.

"Six hours left." Kurapica suddenly said, looking to the clock.

If the auction continues as planned, the Ryodan should make their move. Of course… it's possible they've already moved."

"By the way, why did you suddenly decided to accept our help?" Killua asked.

"The first reason is that the threat to me has increased again. We have to settle Pakunoda's case as soon as possible, even if it requires a sacrifice." Kurapica responded.

"_Kurapica… I can feel your determination. Even stronger than before_!" Leorio thought. Then Gon suddenly said, surprising his friends:

"Kurapica, point a Nen blade at me as well."

"Huh… That idea doesn't sound so bad." Nero pointed out with a bored face, then looked at the chain at his hand.

"_Maybe the chains have different abilities…" _she thought.

"Gon! Nero! Were you two listening at all? Kurapica will die the moment he attacks someone outside of the Ryodan!" Leorio yelled, looking at him as if he was nuts."Not so loud!" Nero and Kurapica hissed. She face palmed, but then said:

"Yeah, but then, how is it possible that he can aim one at himself?" Gon asked, while Nero looked straight at Kurapica.

He looked at her, then at the others, and said:

"From here on, the conversation will be a great risk to me." Leorio stood up, and said:

"Killua." Killua, who understood what he meant stood up as well, leaving the room together with Leorio, even though it was unwillingly.

"I'll start answering your questions. What you ask of me is possible. Each of my chain has a different skill. Two of them are only for attacking the Ryodan." Kurapica started.

The chain on his middle finger, called 'Chain Jail', which he used to control the one he captured, and was only there for the Ryodan. The chain on his little finger, called 'Judgement Chain', was aimed at his opponent's heart, maybe also inventing a law that the opponent had to respect.

"If you don't respect the rule, you die.' The same kind of chain, with the same principles, is pointed at my heart. In the beginning, the rule was simple. 'If you attack someone outside the Ryodan with your chain, you die'. Then I thought of something. Could this

rule also apply to those who want to attack me? As I decided the rule to apply after attacking, it might have an exception. I wasn't sure if it was possible at 100%. From that moment on, I defined my limit's of my rules. 'Every attack with the Chain Jail must be

directed only at members of the Spiders. So… I can use the Judgment Chain even if they do not belong to the Ryodan. But there is a condition required for this chain. I can only use it when my eyes become scarlet." Kurapica explained.

"You can change into that state by choice now?" Nero asked, supporting her head with her hands.

"I trained myself. It took me some time, but…" Kurapica answered, then continued.

"The origin of this state comes from Nen. I'm a Materialization type user. But, to keep control of a remote blade and impose a condition upon an opponent, I mainly use Emission and Manipulation. Normally, I would be impossible. However, my little finger

brought a solution to the specificity of my body. When my eyes turn scarlet, I use the Nen of Specialisation. All the skills I have at that moment become able to be accessed with maximum force and accuracy."

Nero looked surprised, while Gon looked confused, then she asked:

"So you can use all of your Nen at 100% when you're in the Specialization state?""Correct." he answered calmly.

"_Damn, does he realize that this is scary?" _Nero thought, staring blankly at him.

"In short, that means you can aim a Nen blade at us? Then please, trust us with that rule." Gon said, and Nero nodded, agreeing with him.

"You gave me the proof… of your determination." Kurapica said, raising his hand with huis chain, But then, suddenly, Killua and Leorio appeared behind him, and Killua asked:

"Can you make four?"

"There's nothing to stop us from erasing the contract when the mission's over, right?" Leorio asked, then added:

"We talked it over, and in the end, if we collaborate…"

"Let's go all the way." Killua finished.

"Your answer?" they asked in union, grinning at him.

"It's possible… for both of you. However, there's something you don't understand. I can aim a Nen blade at you, but I never had any intention of doing so." Kurapica said.

"But what if we were captured by Pakunoda?" Gon objected.

"I know. They would discover who I am, and what my techniques are. To set a rule for the purpose of keeping a secret, wouldn't she be able to detect that, too? Also, if you look at it in another way, it would also destroy the chance of counterattacking." Kurapica told him.

"Well, yeah… Getting captured by her doesn't necessarily mean that our memories will be stolen… not if we eliminate her before she passes the information's on, that is…" Nero pointed out, placing a finger on her chin.

"That's true…" Leorio agreed, exchanging glances with Killua.

"But then.. Why did you explain all of that to us, if it only increases your risks..?" Gon asked, feeling slightly guilty

"It's to thank you, all of you, for the determination you've shown me. I would never regret having told you." Kurapica told them, smiling.

"_Because I know I have great friends."_

"You're mean, Kurapica… Saying stuff like that puts even more pressure on us. More than a risk of death…" Gon sweated nervously.

"That precisely What I wanted." Kurapica responded chuckling, while Gon bursted out in a laugher.

"Oh? Really?"

_"I can't find the humour in that…"_ Killua gaped at them in disbelief, while Nero ruffled her hair in frustration.

"Wah! You're horrible!"

"Eh?" Her friends looked at her, asking themselves if she had gone crazy.

"May I ask why?" Kurapica asked her, chocking a laugher.

"Because you're making me feel guilty." she answered and felt like smacking herself. The questioning expression her friends had told her that she should explain everything probably.

"Can you get to the point?" Killua asked a little annoyed, only to earn a blank stare from Nero.

"It's actually something I should take with me in my coffin, but… whatever." she shrugged, inhaled and started, looking serious:

"Why is it impossible for… Let's say a conjurer to materialize something that's impossible to break?"

"Because it goes against human boundaries." Kurapica responded, listening carefully, like the rest of them.

"Right, normally, you would think that way… anyway, what do you think the hardest material that exists is?

"Wouldn't that be diamonds?" Killua pointed out, but Nero shook her head.

"Researchers have found out that a substance called '_wurtzite boron nitride' _has a similar structure to a diamond, but is made up of different atoms. It can withstand about 18% more stress than a diamond and is formed during volcanic eruptions. And then

there is the '_mineral lonsdaleite'_, or hexagonal diamond, that is made from carbon atoms just like a diamond, but arranged in a different shape. Surprisingly, it can withstand about 58% more stress than a diamond and is sometimes formed when meteorites containing graphite hit Earth. " Nero explained.

"Yeah, I have read that some time ago." Kurapica said, while the other simply looked confused.

"So are you implying that you can create a material like that out of your Nen?" Then suddenly, Killua looked like he had seen the daylight.

"So, when we ask you what material your Shadow Shackles will become when they harden… you can manipulate your shadow so it becomes as hard as those materials?"

"No, not exactly." Nero answered, but then said:

"Because there is one material that's even harder than all of them together. It's just that humanity is unaware of its existence."

"What do you mean?" her friends were confused and Nero explained, frowning.

"Only the Oerba clan knew of its existence. There was a special, completely black crystal, that only existed in a hidden underwater-crystal cave in Sunleth Waterscape, the rarest material on earth. Because its only weakness was the sunlight, those crystals

were simply called 'Shadow Crystals'. It's said that the devil himself created them and also that those crystals were cursed. Anyway, my family knew how to form a special metal out of them, and the metal itself is as light as a feather, and thousands of times harder than a diamond, as well as being flawless after the crystal processed into the metal."

She exhaled, and faced her friends. Gon, who's head seemed to be smoking, looked just confused, only getting half of it, while Killua and Leorio whistles in amazement and Kurapica eyed her, somehow worried, yet had a solemn face.

"But you said existed.. What happened to those crystals?" Kurapica asked her, though was being decent.

"When Rain Vale got destroyed, the underwater cave was destroyed as well. Also, no one knew how those crystals were created, or were they came from, nor someone could tell how long that cave existed. " Nero answered, shrugging, but remembered the

cave, that she had only seen once, and the warm gentle light that the crystals were giving off. For Nero, it was one of the most beautiful she had ever seen.

"And what exactly are you trying to tell us?" Killua asked.

"Well, when my shadow hardens itself, it becomes this metal." she answered and looked troubled.

"But… is that even possible?" Leorio asked, not knowing what to say.

"I don't know. When I used my Shadow Shackles for the first time, it was the first thing I thought of." she answered as if it was the most normal thing on earth.

"_But how is that even possible? It is even extremely difficult to materialize a normal metal." _Kurapica thought in awe.

"And you're implying that this is the reason that this guy is after you?" Killua asked her, referring to Lucero and she nodded.

"Probably." she shrugged again.

"Why didn't you tell us that sooner?" Gon asked her with puppy eyes.

"I first thought that it could endanger you guys, but it's probably more of a threat to me." Nero answered, smiling rather weakly, but then smiled and said: " But I agree. I won't regret telling you guys, either."

They seemed to be kind of embarrassed, then Nero stood up, clapping her hand together and said hyped up:

"Yosh! Now Killua, let's go and spy on some Spiders." She began pushing Killua out of the room.

"Geez, don't be so bossy! But fine… We're going. Time is precious." Killua said, and Gon shouted after them:

"Be careful, you two!"

"Count on me!" Killua said, and Nero corrected him, putting her hand around her mouth:

"Don't worry, I'll baby-sit him!"

"Seems like we finally get a little fun." Killua smirked and Nero just grinned to herself, agreeing.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"It's decided then, we'll split up. To avoid the prophecy, we'll move in this formation next week. It's absolutely forbidden to act alone. Shizuku, Paku, Machi. Koltopi, Phinks, Fei. Nobunaga, Shal, Luce and I. Franklin and Hisoka, you stay here and stand guard." Chrollo commanded the Spiders, then Machi walked over to him.

"Boss, I have one thing to say. We must not forget that those kids know of this place. Although they have no relation with the chain guy… I don't like it."

"Kids?" Chrollo asked.

"AH! I forgot about that, boss! I highly recommend them for the Ryodan!" Nobunaga shouted excited.

"Hey, that's not why I brought them up!" Machi objected, and Chrollo looked questioning at them.

Nobunaga explained what had happened with Gon and Killua, and it seemed that Chrollo was slightly interred in them.

"It's true that they seem interesting, but from you have told me, it sounds like they don't want to join the Ryodan."

"I'll convince them. I'll bring them to you. If you want to observe them…" Nobunaga suggested.

"Hum…" Chrollo placed a hand on his chin, thinking.

"Boss, we shouldn't do that!" Machi objected.

"What do you dislike about that, Machi?" he asked.

"Err, you see… I don't really know." she said with a blank face.

"Intuition? I know we can rely on you intuition. Just to be safe, we'll increase the number of copies of our headquarters. Koltopi, can you create another 10 buildings?" Chrollo asked.

"I can even make 50. If anyone were to enter one of the buildings, I would know it. The copies are made of my En." Koltopi answered. Then Chrollo looked to Lucero, who was leaning against a wall with crossed arm, saying noting.

"Do you have something to say, Luce?" he asked him and Lucero looked up.

"You knew?" he asked quietly, then pushed himself off the wall and said:

"I know someone better to join the Spiders." he said, and his green eyes glimmered, as the other Spiders seemed to be interested.

"And what kind pf person is he, Luce?" Chrollo asked, using Lucero's nickname.

"_She_… well, I have the feeling we'll see her soon enough." Lucero simply said.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

It was raining heavily, and a thunderstorm came up, while Nero and Killua arrived at the Spider's HQ, observing it from a distance.

"Something changed since yesterday." Killua pointed out.

"The number of buildings has increased." Nero narrowed her eyes at the buildings, having a solemn expression, then added: "Let's go and check it out."

. . .

"Yesterday there was a large road. It's obvious that new buildings have arisen to cover the tracks." Killua whispered.

"Nen.. That's the only answer. We must be careful." Nero looked around.

"Damn, my heart is racing like mad… Can't you use your En? It will raise our defence." Killua suggested.

"I could, but I can only extend my En to about _15 cm_." Nero answered deadpan.

"You're useless…" Killua remarked, gaping at her in disbelief, only to get hit in the back of his head.

After that, they contacted Kurapica, who was sitting in a car with Gon and Leorio, while disguising himself.

"It's probably a technique belonging to a materialization user. Obviously this wasn't done without a reason." Kurapica told Killua, while Nero pressed her ear against Killua's phone as well, both squatting down.

"The problem is just, that with all the buildings, it's rather impossible for us to know where we're going. There are too many blind spots." Killua said.

"Yeah, even If we watch from a distance, we can only see ruins." Nero added, then stood up.

"And moving aimlessly, hoping to stumbled upon them, is too risky." Kurapica agreed.

"Yeah, and honestly, I'm not tempted to d that." Killua told him, then asked: "If I was suddenly to hear their voices behind me, I wouldn't know what to do. Big sis told me to run away, but… damn.. My heart is racing."

"Their voices?" Kurapica asked.

"What?"

"No, it's nothing. Return to your first observation point. I'll call you back in 5 minutes." Kurapica said, then hung up.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

While they looked at the information's Shalnark had from the Hunter side, about the Nostrade's bodyguards, also talking about Neon, which skill Chrollo had stolen.

"But why has the girl come to York Shin?" Shizuku asked.

"Probably to join the auctions." Pakunoda pointed out and Chrollo was awfully quiet all of a sudden.

"Boss?" Shalnark asked.

"Shizuku, Pakunoda. Nice." he said.

"Eh?"

"I was stupid. Shit…why? If I had thought about it sooner, we could have tracked the chain guy down much earlier. That girl… she selects body parts." Chrollo said.

"The scarlet eyes." Lucero remarked quietly.

"Yes. It wasn't by chance that the chain guy entered the Nostrade Clan. He knew they would be part of the underground auctions, and he knew that Nostrade had a lot of interest in them. Our target has two objectives. Getting revenge, and getting back the scarlet eyes." Chrollo explained.

"Were there scarlet eyes for the auction?"

"Yes, I made a copy of those." Koltopi said, and they began searching for the original, wanting to know where the copy as.

"Found it!" Shizuku said, and Koltopi touched it, saying that the copy was only about 2500 m away.

"We shouldn't waste any time. I made those copies yesterday. They'll disappear in a few hours." Koltopi said, Then they looked at a map, and found that here was a hotel called 'Hotel Beach Takuru near by.

"Boss, let me go there." Nobunaga insisted.

"Ok. On one condition. I go with you. I don't want any individual movement." Chrollo told him.

"Yes!" Nobunaga said hyped up.

"Paku, Machi, Shizuku, Luce. You come with us. Change of plans. Shalnark, switch with Koltopi." Chrollo commanded.

"Ok." Shalnark said.

"Alright, let's go."

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Nero and Killua still watched the building from a distance, then Nero suddenly jumped aside, dragging Killua with her.

"What the hell?" he asked, put she placed a finger on her lips, telling him to keep quiet.

"Someone's here."

Then suddenly, Killua's phone rang.

"Hello?" Killua answered the phone, still looking at Nero, who pressed her ear against Killua's cell phone again.

"Killua?" a voice asked, sounding like it belonged to a girl.

"Yeah, who's there?"

"I'm one of Kurapica's colleagues. Can you two look to the left?" she asked. Killua and Nero looked to the side, then saw someone standing on another building.

"Turn off your cell phone, then murmur something to me." she said and Killua did as he was told.

"Raise your right hand." he mumbled and she did as she was told, much to Nero's and Killua's surprise.

"Whoa, amazing hell's ear!." Nero grimaced in amazement, and Killua nodded.

~~~a little later~~~

Suddenly, Nero and Killua heard someone coning up to the roof, and hid themselves. When the door opened, Senritsu stepped outside. She listened closely, hearing two heartbeats, one beating rather fast, and one beating calmly, maybe a little _too _calm.

"You guys don't have to hide." she said with a soft voice, and Killua and Nero jumped down from where thy were hiding, after nodding at each other.

"What amazing skills you two have!" she said surprised, because she couldn't hear Killua landing, and Nero wasn't making much noise, either.

"Pleased to meet you, Nero, Killua." she then said smiling.

"Nice to meet you." Nero greeted her, shaking her hand, while Killua looked surprised at her, only croaking out:

"Hi." Nero noticed that he was eyeing her as if she was some kind of alien, and dug her heel into his foot, causing him to yelp.

"Ouch, damn you…!" he said angrily, but Nero ignored him, telling Senritsu:

"He's a brat, don't mind him."

"You look suspicious about my skill based on my appearance, huh?" she asked Killua, still being friendly.

"N-Not really." Killua tried to convince her, but she just chuckled, and said:

"Don't worry."

Then her eyes rested on Nero for a while, as she smiled at her. Then she said gently:

"Your heartbeat has such a wonderful melody! So you are the girl Kurapica was talking about!"

"Huh?" Nero was completely caught off guard, only stammering some words, and flushed red, while her heart almost jumped out of her chest. Senritsu giggled.

"How cute! You're melody changed. What a pure hearted sound. "

"C-Cute?" Nero spluttered, actually wanting to be annoyed, but just couldn't be angry with her. Then she looked to Killua, and was annoyed for real. She saw his mischievous expression, the wry smirk, and the cat ears that had popped up on his head.

"Want me to punch your head off your shoulders?" Nero asked too calmly and her face darkened.

Meanwhile Senritsu stepped a little forward, placing her hand around her ears, so that she could hear even better, listening closely. After a little while, she said:

"I cannot hear the conversation well due to the rain, but I can still hear voices coming from that area. From the sounds of the footsteps, it should be 5 or 6 of them. There's at leat one woman. There going in the opposite direction."

"Wow, Gon and I are trained a lot, but I still can't hear anything." Killua was amazed, while Nero looked rather stunned.

"That's because it's my speciality." she responded smiling.

"Yeah, but anyway, we have to go." Nero now said, being serious again.

"Yes, we need to follow them without getting noticed, don't we?" she agreed, smiling at Nero and Killua.

"Of course." Nero and Killua grinned.

They started following them, running down the streets, but kept their distance.

"Seems like Kurapica is out of ideas. For him to actually as for my help. He always wanted to handle everything by himself, didn't he?" Senritsu said.

"That's true." Killua answered.

"Uh-huh." Nero sighed.

"You… Can it be that you are an assassin?" Senritsu asked Killua.

"I used to be. How'd you know?" he asked and she told him that his footsteps were almost impossible to hear.

"Of the ones I have met, you have the softest footsteps. What an amazing skill!" she told him delighted, then added, smiling at them:

"I understand why Kurapica would rely on your help."

"Eh?"

Then suddenly, she stopped, listening carefully to her surroundings.

"Around that corner. Those guys should be about 100 meters away from us." Senritsu said and nit a second later, Killua and Nero were already on their way up to the net roof.

"Wait here for a while. Big sis and I are going to confirm the exact location of the enemy." Killua told Senritsu. They jumped over a few rooftops, then saw Chrollo, Lucero, Pakunoda, Machi, Shizuku and Nobunaga walking down the street.

"Killua's face fell, as he saw Nobunaga, and said:

"No way, that idiot is here, too."

"Who?" Nero asked rather unenthusiastic.

"… The guy who's face you almost broke?" Killua asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh… You're right."

"Don't say you forgot him."

"My brain probably didn't want to remember his grotesque face." Nero answered deadpan, more concentrating on Chrollo and Lucero.

"But never mind, call the others now, please."

Killua did as he was told, only mumbling: "Damn, you're so bossy," as he called Gon.

"Killua!" Gon said.

"Yeah… That woman is over there. But she is with her comrades. There in a group of six. And that ponytail-guy is there, too." Killua informed them, watching them with spyglasses.

"There's also one we haven't seen yesterday." Killua added, describing Chrollo.

"Gon, give me the phone." Kurapica said to Gon, who handed him his cell phone.

"What's your current location?" Kurapica asked Killua, who then told him their location. After looking at a map, Kurapica pointed out, that the Spiders would probably take the train, asking Killua and Nero if they could get into the same one as them.

"Depends. Maybe if it's crowded." Killua answered, and Nero grimaced in disgust.

"Crowded…" she mumbled under her breath, not being happy about the thought at all. Much to her annoyance, it was crowded, and they could get into the same train as the Spiders. Senritsu had even managed to get into the same car as them, while Killua

and Nero sat beside each other in the one last one. After a while, Killua's phone vibrated, which was the signal for them to get off the train. Both of them jerked up, managing to get off before the door closed. While following them, Nero contacted Kurapica, telling him where they got off.

~~~Meanwhile~~~~

"We're in front of the station." Leorio said, stopping the car a little away from the subway station.

"Can't we go just a bit closer?" he asked.

"No. If we go any further, my hatred will attract the enemies attention." he said, then turned to Gon. "Gon, I need your cooperation. At this station entrance, we can attack when those guys have no idea that we're here. From here, I cam reach them in half a second. With their skills, that's most time we'll probably get. Unless they're distracted."

Then they looked out of the car's windows, seeing that the Spiders were about to come out from the subway station. When Kurapica saw the Spiders, his hatred welled up in him, barely being able to stay put in the car.

Then suddenly, the Spiders began running- _and they were fast._ Kurapica couldn't stay calm anymore, dashing out of the car, and ran after them, telling Gon and Leorio to stay were they were.

"Who dose he think the Spiders are?" Leorio asked in disbelief, gaping after him, then noticed that Gon was running after Kurapica already.

"Wait, Kurapica! Think of a strategy first! Wait!" Gon shouted after him. Meanwhile Kurapica's phone rang. He picked up, not stopping the pursuit.

"Kurapica? Nero, Senritsu and I are in front of the station right now. Nero wants to know where you are. She will come over there now. And those 7 are hurrying towards west." Killua told Kurapica, while Nero and Senritsu listened to the conversation as well.

"I know. I'm chasing them right now." Kurapica said.

That hit Nero like a lightning. She was shocked, and worried, not being able to think straight anymore. Her heart was beating like crazy and she felt herself panicking. Senritsu looked at her, noticing her heartbeat, but not a second later, she was already

running after them, disappearing from her sight in less then a second. Senritsu grabbed her hat, that almost flew away because of the draft that Nero created because of her speed.

"What? Stop! That's too risky! You'll be spotted!" Killua yelled in the phone, then only heard a 'click. "Damn, that bastard hung up!" He shot his head around, wanting to say something to Nero, but saw that the spot she was standing at was empty.

"What the…? She gone! Why the hell is everyone doing what they want!" Killua yelled pissed. Then, after calling Leorio, who told them that Gon was running after Kurapica as well, they decided to follow them, too.

"These three are always making decisions on their own! It's pissing me off!"

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><p>*dies* Alright, I hope you enjoyed this chapter^^ The next one will probably up tomorrow. :3 Anyway, Thanks for reviewing and your messages! *jumping around inside my room- mother stares at me as if I'm crazy* Well, anyway, see ya next time! :D<p> 


	20. Hostage? x Escape? x Weakness!

Hey everyone :D I hope you will enjoy this chapter :3 I apologize for any confusions or mistakes. I'll try to fix them, or explain things properly.^^ (- This is getting old xD )

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><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's. Also, I don't support any violence^^

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><p><strong>Journey into the Unknown 20 - Hostage? x Escape? x Weakness!<br>**

The rain felt like lashes in Nero's face, as she searched for Kurapica, not knowing Gon would be with him. She tried hard to calm herself down, knowing that the enemy would spot her if she didn't. After a while, she saw Kurapica, and even though he was in

disguise, she could tell it was him with only one glance. After that, her eyes fell on Gon, who was right behind him.

"I don't know if I should be worried or kick the hell out of them!" she snorted, then jumped down from the rooftop she was running on, landing right beside Kurapica.

"Nero!" Kurapica and Gon were shocked to see her, and she seemed rather angry.

"Stop right now! Are you an idiot? What the hell are you doing being so reckless!" she hissed at Kurapica, but he didn't respond, neither did he stop chasing them.

Meanwhile the Spiders were running after Koltopi's copy of the scarlet eyes, suggesting that the chain guy would be the driver of the car the copy was in. Then Luce said:

"Boss-"

"I know. We're being followed." Chrollo said, knowing what Lucero wanted to tell him.

"Since when?" Machi asked, who was running next to Chrollo.

"Ah, I didn't notice." Shizuku said.

"It could be the chain guy." Pakunoda pointed out.

"In front or behind. Where is the chain guy?" Nobunaga draw his sword.

"Nobunaga, Pakunoda, Koltopi. You three chase after the one in front." Chrollo commanded.

"Roger." Pakunoda said and they dashed off. Then, in a fraction of a second, Chrollo, Machi, Shizuku and Lucero turned around, stopping with a slide.

"Damn it!" Nero hissed, as she, Kurapica and Gon jumped aside, hiding themselves.

"Did you see him?" Chrollo asked.

"Three of them" Lucero responded bored.

"Only their shadows, not his form. Two in the alley." Shizuku said.

"One behind the bin." Machi said.

"Use Gyo:" Chrollo commanded, and they did they were told.

"_The Spiders… If you want to come, then come!_" Kurapica thought, unable to control himself, simply waiting for them to make their move.

"_You can't! If we have to fight 4 of them while we're on the defence, we'll be killed!"_ Nero thought, hoping that Kurapica wouldn't't lose his head any more than he already did, while squatting behind him. Then she noticed that the Spiders were approaching, slowly walking over to them. Every second felt like an hour for Nero, while she was thinking how to keep Kurapica and Gon safe.

"_What should I do? Thos bastards must have seen all three of us! Damn it!" _she thought, clenching her fists. When she looked at Gon, and saw his expression, she already knew he was planning something. The second the thought that, Gon already jumped out of his hideout, holding his arms up in surrender.

"_Idiot! Gon! What are you doing!" _Kurapica thought shocked.

"I'm very sorry! I won't follow you anymore! So please forgive me!" Gon said, and the Spiders looked a little puzzled at first, seeing the kid that they had seen just a day ago.

"Why me?" Lucero asked with a straight face, not showing his annoyance. Kids really weren't his thing.

"This kid again?" Machi asked.

"This is the famous kid?" Chrollo asked.

Meanwhile Killua and Senritsu had appeared behind Nero and Kurapica. Senritsu noticed both of their heartbeats, and her eyes rested at Nero for a while, listening that her heartbeat had calmed down after she exhaled. Then they heard Machi saying:

"There are two of them." Machi responded.

„But we saw 3 shadows." Shizuku said.

„The other two, come out." Machi commanded

Nero looked determined, yet completely calm._"If it's for Kurapica, it's okay... Also, if I get captured with Killua and Gon, helping them would be a little more easy.."_

She stood up and turned her head to Killua, who looked in her eyes. They nodded at each other and walked out of the alley.

"Huh? Who is she?" Shizuku looked at Nero, who shrugged, then said, somehow sounding sarcastic and provoking:

"Their baby-sitter. But after yesterday, I'd say the knight in shining armour?"

"She can still joke in this kind of situation?" Machi eyed her suspiciously.

"Boss, she's the one I was talking about earlier." Lucero now said and Chrollo eyed her, while Nero pointed confused at herself and blinked a few times.

"Anyway, what do you want? The Mafia cancelled the rewards on our heads." Machi told them.

"What? Are you serious? Why?" Killua asked, faking to be surprised, and the Spiders obviously doubted them.

"What should we do, boss?" Machi asked Chrollo.

"Capture them." he said, and not a heartbeat later, Machi captured Gon and Killua with her strings, while Lucero grabbed Nero's wrists from behind.

Meanwhile Chrollo called Phinks, telling him to come to the Takuru Beach Hotel.

"Shouldn't we get rid of them now?" Machi asked, but noticed Lucero's icy stare, also clenching Nero's wrist more.

"Hey, be careful you dumbass" Nero hissed, not bothering to hide her annoyance despite the situation.

"No, I trust your intuition. If they have any relation with the chain guy, we better keep them alive." Chrollo said.

Then suddenly, Gon asked Chrollo:

"I want to ask you something. Why do you kill all those innocent people?" When he asked, Chrollo's expression darkened for a second, even making Nero flinch, but then he said, looking as calm as before again:

"You have surrendered, yet your expression still shows anger. I wonder… Perhaps it's because they have no links to us. Thinking about it, it's hard to answer. The expression of the motive… That's not my thing. But honestly… or rather 'evidently', that's where the key to self-consciousness lies…"

"_What's up with this guy?" _Nero thought, frowning.

"We're going to meet Phinks now." Chrollo now said, then added, as he started walking: "If they try to escape, kill them."

"Understood." Machi responded, sounding a little too eager about the idea, while Lucero just 'Hmpf'ed, keeping a straight face.

Meanwhile Kurapica and Senritsu had to watch them getting dragged away.

"We can't get any closer. Those guys are even more on alert then before." Senritsu said.

"Damn it!" Kurapica cursed under his breath.

"Anxiety is forbidden, Kurapica!" Senritsu told him sternly.

"I know that!" Kurapica responded angrily.

"No you don't! They're in danger right now, because of your senseless pursuit! Don't you know why thy put themselves at risk of being captured? If you were captured here, there'd be no one to stop the Ryodan! And Nero? When she walked out of the alley, she was determined to give up her life for you!" Senritsu said angrily.

Kurapica clenched his fists, but then said, trying his best to calm down.

"I'm sorry." Senritsu sighed, knowing he was trying his best to become calm, again, then said:

"Everyone ends up lowering their guard at one time or another. It's only a mater of time. Be patient."

"Yes." he responded, and they followed them in a safe distance.

After a while, Chrollo's phone rang, as they walked over a crowded street. After he hung up again, he said:

"The identity of the chain guy is known. Let's go."

While Gon thought of a way to give Kurapica a sign, Killua and Nero eyed their surrounding from the corner of their eyes.

"_Senritsu must have heard the conversation right now. She'll tell Kurapica where our location is. If it's the hotel, then we might win since it's just as we planned. The best method would be to cover the opponents' eyes and ears. They must arrive at the hotel first, and set _

_everything up. The problem is knowing 'when'. Without being able to work together, it's impossible. I won't last more than a fraction of a second. Hesitation even a tenth of a second and we're finished. Nero would be able to escape, but not is she has to help Gon and me… _

_We need a starting point that we're all aware of!" _Killua thought, glancing over to Nero, who seemed to be annoyed, yet very calm, maybe a little too much.

They entered the hotel, waiting at the entrance for Phinks and the others to arrive.

"Let's wait here." Chrollo said.

"_No openings. These guys really are amazing. We can just hope that the others arrived before us." _Nero thought, while Lucero had only placed one of his hands on her shoulder, while having the other one in his trouser pocket, being confident that he could stop her anytime, though it irritated Nero _a lot._

"Senritsu? Please, if you can hear me, give me a sign." Killua whispered, not hearing that Nero tried the same, who was standing next to him and Machi with Luce.

"_Damn, she can't hear me? But that's the only way!" _Killua thought. Then suddenly, they heard a familiar voice yelling:

"What time do you think it is, bastard?" Then searched for the source of the voice, then found Leorio sitting on a sofa, yelling in his cell pone.

"Idiot! It's Takuru Beach Hotel! Not Bay Rock! How could you have made that mistake, you idiot!" Leorio yelled, then looked over to Nero and the others, who were gaping at him.

"Whatcha lookin' at? Wanna pick a fight, huh?" he asked, trying to have an intimidating expression. Killua's, Gon's and Nero's grimacedl, staring at him in disbelief.

"Should we chase him out?" Shizuku asked.

"_Please do." _Nero thought, mentally face palming.

"Ignore him." Chrollo said, while Leorio talked in his cell phone again.

"What? I'm the one who should say that! Because of your stupidity, you don't know what I'm going through! However, listen carefully! I want you here at 7:00 sharp, in the hotel! If you're one second late, you're fired!"

"_There it is! The message." _Gon thought.

"_If I can relax my joints, I can remove this tie in no time at all. It'll take about 0,7 seconds before actually attacking. And if there's a sudden black out, it'll take them at least a few seconds to get used to the dark." _Killua thought.

"_Freeing myself and attacking won't take more time than a tenth of a second. That's plenty of time." _Nero thought, feeling Lucero's hand only lightly on her shoulder.

"_There are… 5 minutes left!" _they thought in union, glancing over to the clock, while a heavy thunderstorm lightened the evening sky from time to time.

When only 3 minutes were left until 7 o'clock, Nobunaga, Pakunoda and Koltopi entered the hotel. Killua's and Gon's faces fell as they saw Nobunaga.

"Oh? What's this? You two have been caught, again?" Nobunaga said surprised, as he saw Gon and Killua. When he saw Nero, he pointed angrily at her, yelling:

"This girl! She's the one who helped them escape!"

"I just asked myself what kind of repulsive creature makes my eardrums bleed. Then I turn around and see Nobunaga. My question is answered." Lucero said with a monotone voice.

"Shut up!" Nobunaga yelled.

"Calm down." Chrollo told them.

"Yeah. You know that he's just provoking you." Machi said bored, then Nobunaga said annoyed, referring to Luce:

"Ever since he joined the Spiders as number 13 two years ago, I started believing that Treasure Hunters are damn annoying," then turned to Gon, Killua and Nero.

"I see. You want to join the Ryodan after all! Fate wants to meet us again! It could be a sign!"

"_2 minutes left!" _Killua looked to the clock.

"We'll become good friends, don't you think?" Nobunaga grinned.

"No way. We were just following because there was a reward. To tell you the truth, I never wanted to see your faces again." Killua said, turning his head away and closed his eyes.

"Nice one! Under these conditions, closing my eyes will look natural!" Gon thought and said:

"Same goes for me," then closed his eye as well.

"As for me, just seeing you makes me want to throw up, so get outta my face." Nero said, turning her head away defiantly, then closed her eyes as well.

"Hehe. She's interesting as well. So, boss! Don't you think they are interesting!" Nobunaga laughed amused. However, Chrollo stepped forward, noticing that something was strange.

"That aside. Paku, check them once more."

"Sure. What should I ask?" Pakunoda asked.

"I want to know what they hide."

"_Damn, with that question, he can get many answers." _Nero thought, knowing that she had to buy time somehow.

"_One minute! We have to stall!" _Killua thought, while his heart was beating like crazy.

"It's no use. You can read the memories of those you touch, huh? We aren't hiding anything. And even if we knew something-" Killua said, but was interrupted as Pakunoda grabbed him by his throat, then lifted him up.

"I'll find out soon. So shut up." she told him.

"Even if we knew something, we would think of something to fol you." Gon stuck his tongue out, only to get grabbed by his throat as well.

"You're mistaken. I'm reading the memory from the deepest place, it's origin. It's impossible to fool me." Pakunoda said.

"Don't you think it's pretty low to tease little kids?" Nero asked cockily, only to have Paku's elbow on her throat, not releasing Gon and Killua.

"Like I said. I will know soon if you know something about the chain guy or not. So shut up."

"Chain guy? I don't really like this kinky stuff, you know?" Nero responded grinning.

"I'll ask you my question. What are you hiding?" Pakunoda asked now, while the time was up and then_- the lights went out_.

All three of them opened their eyes.

"_I can see!"_

Nero used her chance and grabbed Lucero's wrist. Using his weight against him, she threw him over her shoulder. However, he caught himself, landing on his feet, but was pretty perplexed and she jumped forward, rolling herself over his back.

Meanwhile Killua broke Pakunoda's arm, while Gon kicked her against her chin, breaking her front teeth.

"The kid on the right escaped! I can't see!" Machi said, being as baffled as the others.

Meanwhile Nero wanted to help Gon and Killua, and kicked Machi in her ribs at the same time as Killua, after having rolled over Lucero's back.

But Machi reacted, pulling Gon back on her strings. Killua saw no other chance, but to kill Machi, adjusting his fingernail into claws, wanting to pierce through her torso.

But Machi caught his hand with her muscles, and he couldn't pull it back. Meanwhile Nero tried to kick her in the back, seeing no other way but to break her backbone. She hit her, but before she could use all of her strength, Lucero appeared next to Nero,

hitting her in her stomach. Luckily, she was fast enough to contract her abs, not receiving too much damage, but the punch was still strong enough to make her cough up blood. Ignoring the pain, she spinned around to kick him, but was held down with both of

his arms now.

"Damn it!" she hissed, trying to free herself, wanting to kick against his head, but he guarded it effortless, while Machi grabbed Killua with her arms, and said:

"I won't let you go even if I can't see."

"Killua!" Gon saw that and was about to attack Machi, but Nobunaga, who finally reacted, using his En, grabbed him by his legs. Lucero, who stood with Nero next to Nobunaga, didn't think that she could still move around after being hit by him, and Nero

aimed a kick at Nobunaga's face, though after she had kicked him, Lucero could keep her under control, while Machi held Killua successfully down and Nobunaga lifted Gon up.

"_We failed!" _Gon, Killua and Nero though, cursing themselves.

"Too bad, but nice try." Nobunaga told them amused, spitting out some blood, then suddenly a knife swished past his head, then was stuck in the wall.

"It came from the entrance." Lucero pointed out with his deep, icy voice.

"Throwing your last arrows? C'mon, show yourself!" Nobunaga said tauntingly.

"That guy from earlier was involved. I doubt he's still there, but…" Shizuku said.

"The knife, that was him, but that's not important. We have what is most essential in our hands. Plus, our eyes are becoming used to the dark now." Nobunaga said grinning.

"Yeah, that's true, but… " Shizuku suddenly said, looking around. "Where's the boss?" The room now was enlightened because of the thunderstorm, and they noticed that their boss was really not there anymore.

"The boss is gone!" Pakunoda pointed out shocked.

"Did you notice something?" Shizuku asked.

"We've been defeated." Koltopi said.

"_Of course, you jerks." _Nero thought and snorted annoyed.

"Hey, Shizuku, I'll leave him to you." Nobunaga said, leaving Gon to Shizuku.

"Paku, are you alright?" Machi asked.

"My left arm and front teeth are broken. Besides that, I'm fine." she answered.

"Same here. I have a few broken ribs thanks to the girl and this brat here." Machi said, clenching Killua harder. "And you, Luce?"

"She fractured my wrist." Lucero answered calmly and Nero felt his breath on her ear, giving her the creeps.

"She almost broke my nose!" Nobunaga complained, rubbing his bleeding nose.

"Be happy, I intended to break your face. Not that it would look much diffrent then before." Nero snorted annoyed.

"Anyway, they are incredible. Those kids have-" Pakunoda wanted to say something, but Nobunaga interrupted her, having read the message that had been attached to the knife that Leorio had thrown.

"_If you say what you read in their memories, I kill your boss." _Pakunoda read the note, then read its memories, realizing that Kurapica had captured their boss while the lights went out.

After a while, Nobunaga called out to Pakunoda, who were silent all of a sudden.

"Machi, retrieve your Nen strings. Leave that one to me." Nobunaga then said, and Machi pushed Killua away from her.

"Since he left a message, he'll definitely contact us again. Before that, these three are important hostages." Nobunaga pointed out, grabbing Killua, much to said boys dismay.

"_I see! It was Kurapica!" _Gon thought.

"_He did it!" _Killua thought, while Nero sighed relieved. Then the Spiders decided to wait until the others would arrive, to make further plans.

Because Pakunoda was silent again, Machi said:

"Paku, it's useless to try and think. Just remain silent."

While Nobunaga called Phinks, telling him that their boss was captured, the lights went on again. A little later, Phinks, Feitan and Shalnark arrived, wanting to know what happened.

"There was a black out." Shizuku said.

"Then they captured the boss." Nobunaga said.

"They left a message to Paku." Koltopi said, handing Phinks the message.

"Why didn't you chase after them right away?" Feitan asked.

"Machi, Paku, Luce and I were injured." Nobunaga responded.

"And?"

"That guy has a group of professional Hunters as comrades. And this girl is one as well. Looking at ability, these two kids are enough to make trouble, but she made the biggest fuss. She was also the one who dealed out most of the blows." Nobunaga explained.

"And?"

"Talk after you've read the message! It mean that they are important hostages! As long as we have them, the chain guy won't do anything stupid! It'll give us a chance to save the boss." Nobunaga yelled angrily.

"And?"

"And so, is they escape, everything is finished!" Nobunaga was getting louder.

"So you were scared?" Phinks asked.

"I told you, there was a black out! We couldn't counterattack in time! Think about it carefully!"

"I can't understand it." Feitan responded and laughed mockingly.

"What?" Nobunaga gritted his teeth.

"You must be glad they were only kids and a little girl." Feitan provoked him.

"Yeah, really." Phinks agreed grinning.

"_What's up with them? Are thy stupid? Their boss is a hostage, and they only think about provoking each other?" _Nero thought grimacing.

"Okay, we'll argue about this later. First, we have to think of a strategy." Shalnark interrupted them.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

"Senritsu did very well. But Nero, Gon and Killua were captured. That was a big miscalculation." Leorio pointed out, driving the car, while Senritsu sat in the passenger seat and Kurapica and Chrollo in the back seat.

"It's okay. Many were injured on the enemy's side, too. They won't act until backup arrives." Kurapica told him, sounding way too calm.

Chrollo meanwhile eyed Kurapica, who was still disguised as a girl.

"What are you looking at?" Kurapica asked him icily.

"I never thought that the chain guy is a girl." Chrollo answered.

"Did I say that? You were deceived by my outward appearance." Kurapica told him, taking the wig off. "You should be careful what you say from now on. Anything you say could be your last words."

"You won't kill me. Didn't you leave behind your precious friends?" Chrollo said, being very calm and confident.

"Don't try to pick a fight with me. I'm not very stable right now." Kurapica warned him, barely able to control himself from killing Chrollo instantly.

"Kurapica! Forget it!" Leorio said, trying to calm him down.

"These situations are impossible to predict. In other words… not worth mentioning." Chrollo said.

"You bastard!" Kurapica hissed.

"Kurapica!" Senritsu called out to him, hearing his violent heartbeat.

"The situation I'm in now, is just like taking an afternoon coffee break in a café. Nothing has changed." Chrollo said, and Kurapica snapped. He started to punch Chrollo, until said Spider started bleeding. Leorio stopped the car and grabbed his arm, trying to prevent him from killing Chrollo.

"Stop it! If you kill him, I'll never forgive you!"

"Kurapica!"

"Calm down! This isn't like you!" Leorio said, but somehow, his voice shook.

"_No, there's no way he can be calm. The revenge for his comrades… and the source of it is right here." _he thought.

"We've already captured the leader of the Spiders! Also, the others are still in their hands! We're in a 50-50 situation! We haven't gained anything yet!" Leorio shouted, trying to bring Kurapica to his senses.

"50-50? You're wrong. I have no value as a hostage. The only one who's being chased is you guys." Chrollo told them.

"If you say nonsense like that again, I'll make sure that your moth is shut for good!"

"He's not lying. Everything he said was true." Senritsu pointed out, feeling cold chills running down her spine.

"What do you mean?" Kurapica asked.

"The sound of his heartbeat is very calm. It's nor shaking at all. It's not that he believes he won't die. He has excepted his death." Senritsu told them, shutting her ears, not wanting to listen to his heartbeat anymore.

"What exactly are you?" Kurapica shouted at Chrollo, who simply answered:

"A Spider."

_"From his words, Nero, Gon and Killua have no value as hostages, either! Are we the only ones being pursued?" _Leorio thought, trying not to panic.

"5 years ago, when the Kuruta clan with the scarlet eyes was massacred, were you the leader then?" Kurapica asked, holding his Judgement Cain a few inches in front of his face.

"Is that the chain that killed Uvo? What were Uvo's last words?" Chrollo asked, not showing any emotions.

"_You can go to hell, bastard." _Uvogin's words echoed through Kurapica's head, but he said:

"I don't remember. Answer my question!"

"You're lying. Am I right, comrade?" Chrollo asked Senritsu, who kept quiet.

"I understand your feelings. I am the same. I have nothing to say to you." Chrollo answered. Kurapica wanted to hit him again, but tried his best not to.

"Damn it!"

Instead of hitting Chrollo, he sat back down, grabbing his cell phone.

"_I've found it. The chain users weakness. I can hit it… with accuracy! He'll place his friends before his mission.__"_Chrollo thought.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

While the 9 Spiders were about to make plans, Phinks cell phone rang.

"It's from the boss' cell phone." he said and looked at the others, until Shalnark nodded, telling him to pick up.

"Hello?" Phinks asked.

"I'll give you three instructions to follow." Kurapica said.

"Are you the chain guy?" Phinks asked, but Kurapica ignored his question.

"Respect the three instructions at all cost. If you don't, I'll kill the one next to me, your boss. 1: Don't follow us. 2: Don't hurt the hostages more than they currently are. 3: Give me the woman called Pakunoda."

"Before that, can I ask you a question? It's about the second order. The three hostages made a big fuss, and especially the girl made trouble. Who knows how many of their bones are broken." Phinks said amused, grinning at the thought. However, it had not the effect on Kurapica he had hoped…

"Then we have nothing to discuss." Kurapica said icily and hung up. Phinks was quiet for a few seconds, simplys staring at the phone until he called Kurapica back.

"What?"

"I lied. The hostages are fine, please forgive me." Phinks told him, while most of the other Spiders, as well as Nero, Gon and Killua, grimaced annoyed..

_"Fine? Yeah, right..."_ Nero thought sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"I won't give you another chance. Hurry up and give me Pakunoda." Kurapica warned him.

"Paku." Pinks said, giving her the cell phone.

Meanwhile Nobunaga asked Koltopi to take care of Killua for a second, then walked with Pakunoda and Machi over to Phinks.

"Really, what a boring guy." Phinks sighed.

*SMACK*

*BOOM*

*WHACK*

For endangering their boss, he was hit in the head by Nobunaga and Paku, while Machi kicked him in his butt.

"What the hell was that for! That hurt!" Phinks shouted.

"Idiot! Taking the boss' life as a joke!" Nobunaga shouted.

"I didn't think he would hang up…" Phinks simply said.

"Machi, maybe you should sew his mouth shut." Luce suggested with a cold glare.

"Sound good to me." she simply responded.

"It's also your fault! If you hadn't been tricked… I thought it was a good chance to let off some steam." Phinks shrugged.

"Now isn't the time for that." Machi objected.

"I didn't had any bad intentions." Phinks said.

"I'll kill you!" Nobunaga yelled, while Pakunoda answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"First, I want you to be the only one to hear what I have to tell you." Kurapica told her.

"Okay." Pakunoda answered, walking away. Then Kurapica told her not to communicate with her comrades, and to come alone to a meeting place, after confirming that she knew that Senritsu could tell if someone was lying or not.

"_This great hatred towards the Spiders, to get revenge, everything was planned out well. He'll kill the boss even if it means sacrificing his comrades, disgrading all consequences_." Pakunoda thought.

After that she handed the phone to Nobunaga, because Kurapica had no intention to bother talking to Phinks, again.

"After this, meet up with Pakunoda alone, and tell everyone else to return to the base. Bring the hostages to a place where you often meet up. Now give the phone to Pakunoda." Kurapica commanded, also telling him to prepare an extra cell phone.

Nobunaga gave the phone back to Paku, and Kurapica then told her the meeting place, which was 'Ringo Airport', at 8 o'clock sharp. After Kurapica hung up, Pakunoda left without saying a word. Phinks, Feitan and Shalnark wanted to go after her, but

Nobunaga interfered, telling them that they had to follow Kurapica's instructions and return to their base.

"I don't want to do that." Phinks said bored.

"Do you still not understand? The boss could die!" Nobunaga yelled, grabbing Phinks by his collar.

"You are the idiot. We'll just kill that chain guy afterwards and end it." Phinks told him, still sounding bored.

"The boss will probably say the same thing. The Spider is the top priority." Feitan said.

"It's pointless to let Paku go alone." Shalnark agreed with Phinks and Feitan.

"I agree with Nobunaga. It's better to follow the orders for the moments." Machi pointed out.

"Same here." Koltopi agreed.

"Luce?" Phinks asked, hoping he would agree with him, Feitan and Shal.

"Honestly, I don't care. But for the moment, I agree with Machi and the amateur samurai." Lucero shrugged, and Shizuku agreed with them as well.

"That's enough. I wan to kill that chain guy right now." Phinks said and his expression darkened.

"Wait. If you take one step further, I'll draw my sword." Nobunaga threatened him, but before they could go for each others throats, Shizuku knocked Nobunaga out, not wanting him to break the rule that forbid them to fight against each other.

While Nero mentally face palmed, asking herself if they were all stupid, Shalnark's cell phone rang and Phinks wanted to answer it.

"Hel-"

"Give me one of the hostages." Kurapica interrupted him, pissing Phinks off, almost breaking Shal's cell phone. He walked over to Lucero and Nero, pressing the phone against her ear.

"Here, your mom wants to talk to you."

"Damn barbarian…" Nero hissed annoyed under her breath, sending Phinks a death glare and stuck her tongue out, pissing him off more.

"You little...!"

"Are you alright?" Kurapica asked Nero, who ignored the veins that pulsated on Phink's head.

"Well, at least for now." Nero answered, trying to hear if he was alright.

"I'm glad… Are those guys all together?" he sighed, then asked.

"Yeah, but they were arguing whether to follow Pakunoda or not." Nero answered, eyeing the Spiders, then Phinks took the cell phone away from her ear, wanting to say something to Kurapica, who still ignored him.

"Let me tell you something. I have someone here who is capable of detecting lies. This is why Pakunoda came quietly when I asked her to. If you'd like, you can take it out on the hostages. I don't care. Your boss will die, that's all. Return to the base within 30

min." Kurapica told him icily, then hung up, causing Phinks to snap, almost breaking Shalnark's cell phone.

"Don't break it!" Shalnark said a little angry, then added: "It's useless to follow her then."

"DAMN!" Phinks shouted, throwing Shalnark's cell phone, while Nero remarked deadpan:

"This will be a damn long night."

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><p>I hope you enjoyed this chapter^^ Thanks for reviewing and your messages, as well as for reading :3 Hope to see you next time :D Until then! *waves*<p> 


	21. Judgment Chain? x Neverending Journey

Hey everyone! I just noticed... this is the last chapter for this story O_O I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I alopogize for any mistakes or confusions. I'll try to fix them or explain everything properly.**  
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><p>Disclaimer: I don't own HxH, I only own my OC's. ALso, I don't support any violence.^^

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><p><strong>Journey into the Unknown 21 - <strong>Judgment Chain<strong>? x Neverending Journey...  
><strong>

"Do I have something interesting in my pockets? Don't stick so close to me!" Nero hissed at Lucero, who walked closely behind her, and Nero was hella annoyed by the whole situation. She was behaving so defiantly, that Feitan was thinking about ripping her tongue out, but she simply snorted as he threatened her, provoking him more.

"This brat gets on my nerves!" Phinks yelled annoyed, veins pulsating in his head, while Feitan glared at her.

"And it's a pleasure for me to stick around you." she responded sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

"You little…!" Phinks yelled and pointed angrily at her, then turned to Shalnark and Feitan.

"I don't care about this hostage thing anymore! I just want to shut her up!"

"Believe me when I'm saying that I want you to keep your mouth shut as well?" Nero asked bored.

"All of us should calm down first." Shalnark sighed.

"How do you think I can calm down when I have to look at _that_?" Nero asked, jerking her thumb in Phinks direction.

Gon and Killua just started at her, while Killua had to choke a laugher.

"She is… pretty daring, no?" Gon remarked and laughed fakery, not knowing what else to say.

After a while however- with everyone in one piece- they arrived at the Spiders HQ. Nero eyed the room, then remarked deadpan:

"This place is so weird that even the cockroaches moved out."

Before getting hit for real now, Nero, Gon and Killua had to sit down, while the Spiders observed them closely.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

It still rained, as Pakunoda arrived at the airport, then her phone rang. When she picked it up, Kurapica told her:

"There's an airship on the third landing strip. After boarding it, wait at the front entrance."

She did as she was told, and as soon as she had entered the Airship, it departed. Just a few moments after that, Kurapica stepped forward, and next to him were Chrollo and Senritsu.

"Just to make sure. Are you the real Pakunoda from the Ryodan.?" Kurapica asked.

"Of course."Kurapica looked at Senritsu, and she said:

"It's true." He nodded briefly, then turned to Pakunoda, again.

"I'll assign to conditions for you. If you respect them without fail, I'll release your boss.""Pakunoda, you must discover it! You must discover, his flaw! " Chrollo thought, glancing over to Kurapica.

"Let's begin with those of your boss. First: I forbid any use of Nen. Secondly-" Kurapica told her, but then went silent all of a sudden.

"'_You must cut every link with the other members of the Ryodan'." _Kurapica thought, but then Chrollo's and Senritsu's words echoed through his head.

"_I have no value as a hostage."_

"_Everything he said was true."_

"_Is this really okay? If I defeat their leader, the Spiders will lose their direction. That's what I had always thought! But even if I cut off its head, the Spiders will still move! Their boss isn't always inedible, this is a group that can survive without his leadership, depending on _

_the circumstances! Each of them is the Ryodan! If I deprive the boss of his movement… I can't be sure that the result will be the collapse of the Organisation! What if it finally ends with no result! Is there anything more I'd be able to do? I need a miracle to escape this _

_deadlock!" _Kurapica thought, trying to stay calm.

"_No, I can't find one… Yes… it will be fine this way. Now I know what I should do… Get Nero, Gon and Killua back…! That's my top priority! I refuse to lose my comrades once more… Never again!"_

"Secondly, you must cut all ties with the Ryodan!" Kurapica said now determined, making a decision.

"_Watch carefully Pakunoda! This guy won't sacrifice his friends!" _Chrollo thought, looking at Paku.

"Those are the two conditions you must respect. To force you to respect them, I'll use my 'Judgement Chain' on you. Pakunoda, you decide. Whether to agree, or not." Kurapica told her, and after hesitating, he answered:

"Okay.""Fine." Kurapica said, and wrapped his Judgement Chain around Chrollo's heart. After that, he turned to Pakunoda.

"The next set of conditions is for you, Pakunoda. First: Release Gon, Killua and Nero unharmed and without any trickery tonight, at midnight. The method of the exchange will be explained later. Second: You may not spread any information abbot me, or the others after the exchange. If you have no objections on that, I'll now use the chain on you as well."

"Ok." Pakunoda agreed, and not a heartbeat later, Kurapica wrapped the chain around her heart as well. He bend down to Senritsu, asking:

"Senritsu, if Gon , Killua and Nero were controlled by a Manipulation user, would you be able to tell from the sound of their heartbeats alone?" She nodded, and answered:

"Yes, I can. I'm not sure about Gon, but I've heard the sound of Nero's and Killua's normal heartbeat. I'll notice if it is any different from normal."

"That's fine." Kurapica responded, then stepped forward, while Senritsu listened to his heartbeat, and thought:

"_Kurapica, did you notice the conflict within the sound of your own heartbeat? No. The sound of your heartbeat is engulfed with fury and conflict. You should be able to feel that somewhere within your mind, yet you act as if you haven't noticed. Why did Pakunoda come _

_alone? That is… If the Spiders were really an organization of cold and heartless members, this hostage exchange wouldn't be successful. I don't know what they have done before, all I know is your hatred towards them, which carves a cruel image in my mind. However, _

_judging from that woman alone, that woman who faces you feels hatred, and yet pain. I understand that she has come for a similar purpose as yours. The strict rules set by their leader has to be obeyed by ever member. But not every member is similar to Pakunoda. That's why she came alone for the exchange. Kurapica, have you noticed this?"_

"First of all, return to your base where your comrades are waiting, and explain to them the details of the exchange. After that, bring the hostages to Ringo Airport at 12 o'clock sharp. You may not bring your comrades, nor you can reveal the location. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Pakunoda answered Kurapica tersely, then added, turning away from him:

"Are the negotiations finished? Bring me back to the airport." Kurapica hesitated for a moment, only looking at her, but then asked her angrily, yet confused:

"Why … Why aren't you asking anything? You know who I am, right? Don't you feel any fear, or uncertainty? Do you really believe I will free your boss?"She just looked at him at first, but then answered firmly:

"Yes. Because if you intended to trick us, you wouldn't be asking that kind of question. Now hurry. I have no time to waste."

~~~Later~~~

"Who does he think he is… with those conditions? Pakunoda, tell us where he is. We'll get rid of the kids and take care of the chain guy." Phinks said angrily, and had a dark expression, after Pakunoda had returned, telling them the conditions for the exchange.

"_This guy talks to much. I wanna see him try that_." Nero thought, eyeing the situation, then noticed that Lucero pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on, stepping in front of the three friends.

"_What is he doing?" _Nero thought looking confused and surprised.

"Are you sure that's what you want to do?" Machi asked, rasing an eyebrow.

"Yes. So? Where is he?" Phinks responded, and Pakunoda looked at him, then at the other Spiders, and said:

"First, I won't say where I'm going. Second, I'm taking the hostages with me, and I'm going alone. Don't bother me." Pakunoda said with a serious face.

"What was that?" Phinks gritted his teeth. "Don't bother you? You took the words right out of my mouth!" As Phinks stepped a little forward, Pakunoda was ready to defend herself, thinking he would attack her any time.

To her surprise, Machi stepped in front of her and said, while facing Phinks:

"Just go ahead. We'll take care of them."

"Take care of us? Are you mocking me?" Feitan asked, definitely being about to snap. Then Koltopi did the same as Machi, wanting to help Pakunoda as well, while Lucero cracked his finger joints.

"Even you, Luce?" Phinks asked whim with a dark expression.

"If you want to kill the brats, go ahead. However, lay a hand on the girl…" he said calmly, having a straight face. Bu then he added, releasing his Nen and seriously sounded pissed, while glaring at them:

"… and I'll kill you personally."

"Great. They got Luce angry." Machi remarked annoyed.

"So you guys are really serious? I don't understand. Do you have a loose screw or something?" Phinks asked pissed.

"I think they were tricked by that chain bastard before we arrived. They've been manipulated." Feitan pointed out, releasing his Nen as well.

"It doesn't matter." Machi glared at them.

"What a waste of time. I'm going to force you you to spit it out!" Feitan said and snapped as well.

"I want to see you try." Lucero said with a deathly calm, and Machi cracked her finger joints now as well.

But before they could attack each other, Gon suddenly said, sounding very angry:

"You really don't understand? Why does Pakunoda want to leave without explanation? Why are Machi and Lucero trying to stop you? You think they have been manipulated? THEY WANNA SAVE YOUR BOSS! IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS! WANTING TO SAVE ONE OF YOUR COMRADES, IS THAT SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND!"

"Shut up, noisy brat! You're saying that because you want to leave." Phinks said angrily. Now Gon had enough. He jumped on his feet, and broke the chains he was fettered with.

"I never said that. Take back what you just said!" he yelled. Nero hand enough as well. She stood up, then broke the chains as well, while Killua sighed and freed himself easily as well.

"One more word and I'll slice your head off." Phinks said calmly, yet sounded intimidating.

"Gon, stay down." Nero told him and placed her arm in front of him, glaring at Phinks and flexed her fingers..

"Geez, you hate us that much? I don't really understand. We didn't really do something to you." he said annoyed, glaring at her as well. Now Nero snapped. She released her Nen, and a very intimidating auras surrounded her, as she shouted, having a dark

expression:

"Didn't do something to me? Should I write you a list? You're not only taking us hostage, but you also hurt Kurapica! Damn bastard!"

"Then I will kill you now, but that brat comes first!" he yelled, pointing at Gon.

"Try that, and I will kick your ass, damn hair gel-nut." she hissed.

"Sure thing. Go right ahead. I wanted to shut you up for hours now. " Phinks told her angrily.

"Same to you! Like hell we're gonna move!" Nero and Gon said in union, both sticking out their tongues and pulling an eyelid down.

"You damn…!"

"Kurapica is different from you. No matter how much he hates the enemy, he'll keep himself in control! If he made a pact with you… you can be sure he won't break it! Pakunoda met him and understood! As long as you obey the conditions, your leader will return!" Gon told them angrily, yet firmly.

"That's enough out of you! Speaking of your own will! I'll make sure that you can't say another word from now on!" Phinks yelled, and cracked his knuckles.

"Just come, if you dare to." Nero said calmly, a dark aura surrounding her while releasing more of her Nen. However, someone placed a hand on her shoulder, and when Nero turned around, she saw Lucero, who looked at Phinks.

"Why the hell are you helping me?" Nero hissed. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, and said:

"You know why."

"If it's about the 'Shadow Crystal'… they don't exist anymore." she told him calmly, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I know. But your shadow… can produce them." he responded coldly.

"Even if, I won't give _anything_ to you." Nero's face darkened. Then suddenly, her eyes widened. When she studied his face, she was sure that, for a brief moment, a slight grin could be seen in the corner of his mouth.

"I'm a treasure Hunter… And we are said to be persistent. Since you can produce this material, you are a treasure yourself. I fact, I will be the one to possess it one day, even if it means to possess you." she told her calmly, then stepped on front of her, while Nero's face fell in annoyance.

"_What's up with this guy!"_

"Also, I'll be the one to kill you one day, so tell that little pest there to shut up." he added icily, sending Gon a death glare.

"_He doesn't make any sense!" _Nero thought irritated, while everyone started at him in disbelief.

"_He's nuts!"_

"Hmpf, you sure can talk if you want to. But I warn you, get out of my way." Phinks grinned evilly.

"…" Lucero didn't say anything and just stared blankly at him, not being faced at all.

"Why you…!"

"Phinks! Enough already. Just let Pakunoda go." Franklin interrupted him.

"What? Even you're blabbering nonsense!" Phinks yelled, yet was puzzled.

"Shal." Franklin turned to Shalnark.

"Huh?" "What's the worst-case scenario?" Franklin asked.

"Hmm… Boss could already be dead, and Hisoka, Pakunoda, Shizuku, and Nobunaga are being manipulated by the chain guy. These three could get away, and we wouldn't be able to find out where that guy is." Shalnark answered.

"I think you're completely wrong. Wort-case scenario is that we're all killed, and the Ryodan disappears. In comparison, what you said is insignificant. Am I wrong?"

"That's true." Shalnark responded.

"Pull yourselves together. Why don't we just let her do as she wishes. We should let her go with the kids, and if the boss never comes back… Then we'll kill all those who were manipulated and form a new Ryodan. It's not that complicated." Franklin said.

"That's fine with me… if it calms everyone down. Anyways, I'm nit being manipulated." Machi agreed.

"And we're not easy to kill either." Lucero remarked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

After a few seconds of silence, Kurapica called again and Phinks answered.

"Hel-"

"Hand it to the hostages." Kurapica interrupted him immediately. Phinks stared pissed at the cell phone, then turned to Gon and threw the cell phone.

Gon caught it, still glaring at Phinks, then answered, while Shal said:

"Don't break it!"

"Hello, Kurapica."

"Are you alright? Are all of them present?"

"Yes, all are present."

"All right then, give it back to the one who first answered."

"Okay." Gon responded and threw the cell phone at full tilt to Phinks.

"Don't break it, damn it!" Shalnark shouted, while Phinks still glared at Nero and Gon.

"Che! We'll obey the conditions. Pakunoda will take the three over to the location alone." Phinks said unwillingly, after hesitating.

Pakunoda sighed, then looked at Gon, Killua and Nero and turned around. The three friends looked at each other for a brief moment, then walked after Pakunoda.

"Nero." Nero jerked her head around, as someone called her name calmly.

"The next time we meet, I won't let you off like this." Lucero told her, and though he seemed composed, for Nero, it sounded like a threat. She grinned, then pointed at herself with her thumb, somehow sounding cocky, as she said:

"I'm looking forward to it." Then she turned around and walked after the others, but her inner demon thought:_"Yeah, looking forward to smash your face, jerk."_

However, only a second after she walked out of the room, she stuck her head inside again, then pulled her eyelid down and stuck her tongue out, telling Phinks:

"And you hair gel-head… you should fix your attitude.. And your face. If not, you'll never get a girlfriend. Never, never, never, never…. NEVER!"

"I changed my mind! You damn little brat, you won't-!" Phinks yelled angrily, pointing at her, but Nero interrupted him, and said mockingly, before she hurried after the others:

"This_ brat_ won't listen to you~!"

After they walked out of the building, they heard a loud war cry.

"I HATE THAT GIRL!"

"What was that?" Killua blinked confused, and Nero answered with a bored expression:

"Dunno, but it sounded pathetic."

~~~…~~~

"Is it okay not to go after them? From now on, the chain user can't monitor our actions anymore." Franklin pointed out.

"Shut up, you're annoying! If I wee to follow them you were the first one to stop me together with this annoying guy over there!" Phinks shouted irritated, then jerked this thumb into Luce's direction, who was leaning relaxed against a wall and simply ignored him.

"For now, we'll just see what happens. But I'm warning you, if the boss doesn't come back, you're dead as well." Phinks said.

"We'll see." Franklin grinned, then said to Luce:

"And what about you?" Lucero looked up, then looked out of the window, and responded, as his green eyes lit up:

"The girl's and my path will cross again eventually…And when that time comes, she will finally notice that her journey… ends with_ a dead end_."

~~~Meanwhile~~~

While waling down the street, and looking up to let the rain pour in her face, Nero heard Pakunoda, who was walking behind her, Gon and Killua, asking:"You three…" They turned around, and she added: "Why don't you escape?"

"Escape?" Gon asked.

"If I let you escape now, then the chain guy will have his wish granted to kill the boss. So why don't you escape then? Aren't you his friends?" They stopped and turned around to her. Before Killua could answer, Nero already said:

"Isn't that obvious? Because we're his friends!"

"Right, it's because we are friends that we don't want Kurapica to kill anyone."

"That's why we're in the exchange. That's the best method." Killua said and grinned slightly. The they turned around, starting to walk again, while Pakunoda looked surprised.

"What's wrong?" Gon asked her.

"Let's hurry." Killua added. When she started walking again as well, Nero meant to see a slight smile on her lips, an though she didn't show it, she thought:

_"If she wouldn't be a murderer, and wouldn't be one of those who have hurt Kurapica, I'd probably like her…"_

~~~Later~~~

"Board the passenger ship. I've already notified them of the destination." Kurapica told them over the loudspeakers, being in a flying airship , together with Senritsu and Leorio.

"The four came as promised." Senritsu pointed out, looking out of the window.

"Yeah." Leorio said.

"We'll confirm once they depart. Pay close attention from all angles." Kurapica told them.

"Leave it to me." Leorio said, eyeing their surrounding, looking out of the window. Then suddenly, he saw that someone waled over to the airships, and he said, being on alert:

"There's someone over there!"

"Wait! Stop! Stop until we can verify who it is!" Kurapica commanded immediately.

"It may be a trap." he said to Senritsu and Leorio, not taking his eyes off the person that approached them. However, because of the lousy weather, they couldn't see much.

"Senritsu, please confirm any signs of other people."

"Okay."

Shortly after Kurapica had asked that, his cell phone already rang. When he answered, it was no other than Hisoka, who said:

"Yo."

"You split from the group?" Kurapica asked him, not rally liking to see him.

"Don't worry. I entrusted my task to my shadow." Hisoka tols him. All of them were surprised, or shocked to see him, and Pakunoda's voice shook as she shouted:

"Why did you come? Hisoka!"

"What do you have in mind?" Kurapica asked him predicting the worst-case scenario.

"Let me on~" If you refuse, I'll kill Killua, Nero and Gon." nero stepped in front of Gon and Killua, eyeing Hisoka, but thought:

"_I don't think he would kill these two… not yet, that is."_

"You bastard!" Kurapica yelled, but Hisoka just smirked, then said:

"I said so before. My target is the boss only. The moment he is released, I will also leave. I want to fight him. That's all I'm interested in."

~~~…~~~

The airships landed after flying for a long time, or at least it felt that it was a long flight. Watching an excited Hisoka maybe wasn't the best sight for three stressed out hostages. . . or anyone else.

They walked out of the airships, then stood across from each other. Then, not a few moments later, Nero's cell phone rang. She answered it, and Kurapica told her:

"Nero, please hold your cell phone in front of your chest." She started at the phone for a second, then did as she was told. Senritsu listened to her heartbeat for a moment, then hung up an smiled at Kurapica.

"Don't worry. She has the same heartbeat as before. She hasn't been controlled."

"All right. The exchange begins!" Kurapica announced. Nero, Killua and Gon nodded at each other, and began walking to the same time as Chrollo. The atmosphere was really tense, especially when Gon, Killua and Nero passed Chrollo halfway.

All three of them looked after him for a brief moment while walking over to the others, Nero closely behind her two friends. But then she looked in front again, somehow starting to feel relieved as she saw Kurapica, Leorio and Senritsu.

Then suddenly, Kurapica started walking. Leorio thought he would do something stupid again, trying to stop him, But Kurapica turned around, and his eyes had turned back to normal.

"Don't worry about it." Kurapica said, and a slight smile played on his lips Then he turned around, and continued running. Senritsu and Leorio looked puzzled for a second, then grinned at each other and followed Kurapica.

"Gon, Killua! Nero!" Kurapica called their names. They looked up, seeing their friends.

"Are you three alright?" Kurapica asked with a smile, as he stood in front of them.

"Yeah, we're fine!" Gon answered energetically, being glad to see Kurapica back to normal.

"Well, it was a bit dangerous." Killua answered smirking, then added, jerking his thumb over his shoulder:

"Those Spiders are really headstrong. Good thing that Nero is even more stubborn!"

After that, they walked back to the airship and while Leorio head locked Gon, rubbing his knuckles in his head, and Killua eyed them as if they were nuts, Kurapica glared at Pakunoda and Chrollo. Nero noticed it, placing her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her and smiled, which she returned.

Then, while the airship started flying, they looked out of the window, seeing that Hisoka confronted Chrollo.

"_Any verbal communication or physical contact with the Ryodan, will result in death. All usages of Nen are forbidden. You will understand the pain of being deprived of what you're used to have!" _Kurapica thought, looking out f the window..

However, then Hisoka left without fighting him, much to Leorio's surprise.

"He left without fighting?" Leorio asked.

"When he understood that Hisoka didn't belong to the Ryodan, Chrollo may have explained to him about the chain. I don't doubt that Hisoka lost his combative appetite, learning is opponent could no longer use Nen." Kurapica told him.

"You mean he didn't belong to the Ryodan?" Leorio asked shocked.

"Of course." Kurapica simply answered. Then suddenly Nero, Gon and Killua stood behind him, calling his name, and he turned around, smiling at them.

" I'm sorry to have placed you in such a dangerous situation." Kurapica apologized, feeling guilty.

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, you 've pierced the boss with that chain?" Gon asked.

"Yeah, but that way… " Kurapica started, but Gon interrupted him, laughing fakery, as he said:

"That way, the Spider incident is over with!" Killua looked at him for a second, but then played along:

"Yeah! The leader can no longer contact the other members, nor can he use Nen, which means the Spider has lost its head!"

Nero gaped at both of them in disbelief, then looked at Kurapica and Leorio, and could tell that what they had said had the opposite effect.

"Even after losing its head, the Spider will not die." Kurapica said, walking over to the window again.

"But Pakunoda will keep her promise!" Gon objected.

"_Really? Will she? Also, I don't think it's over for yet. . . Not for him, nor for me. _Nero thought, looking worried, though she tried to hide it. Then she looed at Gon, and could tell what he was thinking, since she wanted the same.

"_I don't want him to fight the Ryodan anymore…!"_

When she looked at Kurapica again, she saw that he saw very pale, and sweated a lot.

"Kurapica?" Nero walked over to him, then he suddenly fainted, almost giving everyone a heart attack.

"Kurapica!"

~~~24 hours later~~~

"How's Kurapica's fever?" Zepile asked.

"It hasn't gone down a bit. 24 hours have passed already." Senritsu answered, who was sitting with Leorio and Nero next to Kurapica, while Zepile stood in the corner.

"He's I a deep sleep. Anyways, he needs to rest." Zepile pointed out, looking at Kurapica, then at Nero, who wasn't moving an inc since he fainted.

"My flute has no effect, so.. I don't think it's an ordinary fever that is due to fatigue or illness." Senritsu sighed.

"If we don't see any improvement today, we'll have to call a doctor. Even if there are risks. If we can't bring him to the hospital, I can have a friend of mine come over." Zepile told her, wanting to help them

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Doctor? That won't be of any use… Nen causes his fever." Nero finally said something, after keeping quiet most of the time.

"What do you mean?" they asked, having the feeling that they won't like what she was about to tell them.

"Nen doesn't necessarily disappear after death. In some cases, it becomes stronger." she explained calmly and with a solemn expression, while studying Kurapica's face.

"Then it really wouldn't be of any use to let a doc look at him?" Zepile asked.

"Probably not. However, this is also the reason why I believe that the Spiders won't pursue him for a while."

"What do you mean?" Leorio asked puzzled.

"You don't listen at all, do you? I just said that Nen can become stronger after death. Just imagine what would happen to their leader if Kurapica dies, and he can't even use his Nen right now. As long as he's gotten rid of his hatred and regrets, his Nen would become even more powerful, so I think they won't try to kill him… for now. But I could be wrong."

"_But there is still the possibility that they find a Jyonen* user… since they could get rid of Kurapica's chain. But I'm pretty sure Kurapica calculated this as well." _Nero thought, biting her underlip.

A while after that, Zepile went out with Gon and Killua, since both still wanted the Greed Island game.

However, soon after he had left, Kurapica began to move around, slowly beginning to regain his consciousness. However, he was shaking and sweating a lot, and the other probably couldn't imagine hoe much his head was throbbing.

Nero hated to see him like this, and suffered with him, and even worse was that she couldn't do anything to help him. Then suddnly, Kurapica asked:

"What time is it?"

"2 PM. 6th September." Leorio answered.

"... So I've slept for almost 12 hours." Kurapica pointed out, and the others looked at each other.

"I thought so. He still thinks it's the 5th." Leorio thought.

"You're still feverish. You should sleep a little more." Senritsu suggested, smiling at him.

"What about the auction?" Kurapica asked.

"The auction didn't take place. The remaining objects will be sold on the Mafia community site, and that was enough to convince Neon. And so, they already headed for the airport. Actually, they left Yesterday. So you can still rest." Senritsu told him, and though he wanted to get up, he fell asleep, again.

~~~A little later~~~

"Nero, why don't you sleep for a bit? You look tired." Leorio suggested, but she just shook her head, then said:

"I'm not moving from this spot."

"Geez, you're so stubborn." Leorio sighed and face palmed, but then said, somehow sounding suggestive, and wiggled his eyebrows: "Then why don't you sleep here?" Nero shot him a death glare, and said, as a dark aura surrounded her:

"I don't have time for stupid jokes, you damn pervert!" Then her face fell again, and she looked a little helpless to Leorio, who watched her worried, as she said: "But what's even worse is that I can't help him. I don't know what to do."

"You know... he was really worried about you, Gon and Killua. And I also think that you just being there for him is enough. That idiot just won't show that he's happy when you're around."

She blushed slightly, then wanted to say something, but was way to flustered and annoyed, yet happy. Leorio looked at her, then laughed.

"Alright, if anything comes up, I'll be in the next room. So don't be so loud."

"I'll kill you! He has a fever, you sick pervert!" Nero hissed, actually wanting to start to yell and throw thing at him, but didn't since it would have woken up Kurapica. Leorio ran out if the room, but stuck his head back in again, and said

teasingly:

"So it's only because he's ill? So you're okay with it when he's not?"

"Get-the-hell-outta-here..." Nero said with a deathly calm, and he saluted briefly before laying down to rest a bit in the next room, not wanting to risk to receive a kick from her. Nero sighed annoyed, but then snorted, feeling a little better, and Kurapica's fever seemed to be getting better as well.

She studied his face, and smiled to herself, laying her hand on top of Kurapica's, then fell asleep as well.

. . .

Kurapica slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times. He tried to orient himslef in the dimmed room, still being confused, not having any sense of time. Then he turned his head to the side, feeling something on his hand, and saw that Nero had fallen

asleep while sitting next to him. He studied her sleeping afce, and felt at ease somehow.

Then he suddenly noticed that his hand had somehow moved on his own, gently stroking her hair out of her face. He pulled his hand back the moment he noticed it, and blushed, also having the urge to smack himself.

Then suddenly, move began to move and opened her eyes. When she saw that Kurapica was awake she immediately said, being happy to see him awake and also that his fever seemed to be better now:

"You can rest a bit more. I won't go away, unless you throw me out." He smiled at her, but then said:

"I need to get up. There are still things I have to do." Then he tried to sit up, but Nero was stubborn as well, gently trying to push him back down.

"I won't let you. Now sleep more. I don't care if I sound like a nagging old woman." Nero told him, but he still wanted to get up.

"You don't need to worry, I'm already-" However, as soon as he tried to say something, both lost their balance, and Nero fell on top of him.

"Ouch…"

"I'm sorry.. " Then they heard footsteps, and Leorio barged in, panting, since he hurried over to them:

"Did something happen?" he asked worried, but then just gaped at the two for a few seconds, who were still lying in a little 'awkward' position.

"I'm very sorry for intruding. Please continue where you left off." Leorio said, sounding polite, yet obviously mocked them, then closed the door again.

Meanwhile both, Kurapica and Nero were speechless, and flushed deep red, as they stared after him.

Then Nero jumped up, being completely flustered and embarrassed, as she opened the door and shouted after him:

"It's not what you think it is! Oi, don't you dare- I will-! OI!" However, she was quiet again, not knowing what to say to him to explain the situation, anyway, and sat back down next to Kurapica, not making eye contact.

"I'm sorry." she mumbled embarrassed, and utterly annoyed at herself. But much to her surprise he chuckled, then smiled at her and said:

"You win. I will rest a little more."

"Really But do you need anything?" Nero asked leaning a little forward, then wanted to touch his forehead to check his temperature. But then, her eyes widened, being surprised, shocked, embarressed, yet incredibly happy, as he suddenly placed his hands on her cheeks and gently pressed his forehead against hers, then said very tenderly:

"No, everything I need is here right now."

~~~A little later~~~

"You shouldn't do that!" Senritsu told Leorio, who was pressing his ear against the door to Kurapica's room, trying to hear something. However, after he chuckled kind of evilly, Senritsu sighed and said:

"It seems like both are sleeping, so please don't-" However, even though she tried to keep him from eavesdropping, he wouldn't stop, and opened the door slightly. When he looked in, he sighed a little disappointed.

"They're really are only sleeping. How boring." As he closed the door, Senritsu glimpsed inside the room as well, and giggled at what she saw.

It seemed like Kurapica felt more comfortable siting, so both of them very sitting next to each other, while Nero rested her head on his shoulder.

"At least he rests quietly now."

~~~the next day~~~

"I will call you when I arrived." Kurapica said gently, while he, Nero, Senritsu and Leorio were in the airport, seeing Kurapica and Senritsu off.

"All right." she nodded and smiled to herself. He smiled to and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. She jumped startled back, and touched her forehead, while blushing.

"W-Why...-! You-! D-Don't-!" she didn't know what to say, and he chuckled at her reaction. Surprisingly, Nero had even forgotten about the crowd around her. Then he turned to Leorio, who smirked, but he ignored it and said:

"Well then, I'm going."

"Are you sure you want to leave without telling Gon and Killua?" Leorio asked.

"Yes. They're training hard and each second counts. Just tell them we will meet each other again soon." Kurapica responded, then Leorio waved Senritsu nearer, and told her:

"Take good care of Kurapica. We're counting on you to restrain his actions."

"Yep, I give you permission to knock him out, if it's needed." Nero nodded. Senritsu smiled at both of them, then said:

"You know, you two have the best melodies. Leorio's tone is warm, soft, with resonance, and Nero's is calm, compassionate, yet determined and firm. Leorio, maybe you should become a teacher! It would definitely suit you."

"Thanks, I'll think about it." he responded embarrassed, rubbing his neck.

Then Nero and Leorio waved after them, and they disappeared in the crowd.

"I had better start studying." Leorio sighed, as they watched the airship departing.

"Yeah, you'll be fine. If not, I will force it into your head." Nero joked grinning.

"And what will you do now?" he asked her.

"Gon and Killua asked me to help them with their Hatsu training." she responded, as they left the airport. She turned around one more time, looking after the airship which Kurapica was in, shielding her eyes from the sunlight with her hand, heading back

knowing that they would meet each other again soon.

_"After all, you are the one who is the most important to me."_

. . .

~~~ Where our journey will lead us? Nobody knows that, until the day we reach its end. After all, as long as we are alive, our journey won't end.~~~

. . ._** The End**_ . . .

* * *

><p>*dies* Well, that was the last chapter for this story. :D I hope you enjoyed my story, and I'm very happy that you guys read <em>Journed into the Unknown<em>! :3

* Jyonen user: the Nen user that exorcise Nen..

I have to say, I'm really interested in writng a **sequel**, since the Chimera Ant Arc is over now,

and the new Arc seems interesting to me :D I'm so happy that HxH continues xD However, everyone who knows the Chimera Ant Arc knows what happens... (_Spoiler for everyone who doesn't read the manga_)

We don't get to see Kurapica or Leoio, and Netero dies... -.- Anyway, I think it would be intersting to write what would happen to Nero after the Chairmans death and stuff..

But if you want me to write a sequel or not... I will leave it to you guys to decide ;) If yes, I will be happy to do it :) though I would wate until I know what happened to Kurapica and Leorio all this time...

Well anyway, I love everyone who supported me, my story, reviewed etc. :D Well, then I'd say... **until next time!**


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